There's Healing in Rain
by blindedbyheadlights
Summary: Edward's heartbroken and desperate; Bella had left him for Jake. In need of a friend & comfort, he forms an odd arrangement with Reyn La Pierre, a girl with a fiery spirit, charm, & her own dark secrets. He hadn't planned on chaos...or falling in love. OC
1. A Strange Arrangement

**Author's note: hello! Okay, so i wrote this chapter about a year ago, and looking back I don't particularly like the way I went about creating my OC. However, if you have the patience enough to read through this, the story is very good. I have let people outside of fanfiction read this as well and I have gotten nothing but amazing reviews. So, please enjoy it. Please, for your entertainment's sake, stick out this chapter until the next one. :)  
**

**I don't own anything of the Twilight Saga. I only claim my OC characters and plot line.  
**

Chapter One: A Strange Arrangement

Edward stared blankly into the deep brown eyes he loved so dearly. They were dark with regret…and sorrow. He didn't know what to say…he couldn't speak. Everything in his body screamed in agony at what Bella had just whispered to him.

"I'm sorry…" she choked out, tearing her eyes away from him. She looked down at her hands while the light drizzle from the sky hit the top of her hair.

He forced himself to smile, though every emotion he had was the complete opposite of what he was showing. "As long as your happy, Bella," he replied, using all his strength to remain perfectly calm. "If you are happy with Jacob, then I'm happy for you…"

He paused and couldn't help but let the words slip over his lips. "But I will always be here for you, okay? I love you…"

Bella bit her bottom lip and she shifted uncomfortably at the three words that he uttered. It was silent for a long time and the tension between them only increased as it went on. She finally met his eyes again and attempted a smile. "I guess…I'll see you around…" she said quietly. With that, Bella turned on her heel and half jogged, half walked out of the meadow where he had first kissed her. Strange how they had began here…only to end here.

The minute she was gone, Edward's soft smile slipped off his face and he wanted to cry... If only he could shed tears.

He knew it was a mistake to leave her like he had…but he had wanted to protect her from him…his family. Edward never thought that Jacob Black would have so easily swayed her heart…the _werewolf!_

Edward couldn't move…. The pain…the loss…the guilt was all so overwhelming that he felt that his legs would remain immobile forever. Within a year…he had found love…very beautiful love…only to lose it over general circumstances…. However, he had to convince himself that if he truly loved Bella…then he would let her go.

Even if it was hard to do…

* * *

Reyn sat on her bed looking out through the balcony doors at the surrounding greenery of their complex with a vacant, yet strangely disdainful look. It was pouring rain, as usual. Of course, her name sounds exactly like rain, but still…she _hated_ rain… or at least cold, dreary rain like it did here. This was the end of the five-day storm that they had during the week. She growled underneath her breath.

Two weeks before their sixth birthday, Reyn and her twin brother Aiden moved very abruptly to Honolulu, Hawaii with their parents. Then at the age of nine, their parents shipped them off to Sydney, Australia…until their father decided to place them back in their original birth town.

Forks, Washington.

Reyn _loathed _this tiny town. Everyone here was pale and most usually had lighter colored hair, like blonde. Reyn and Aiden, pro surfers since the age of twelve, were very tan and both had short, dark brown hair with strange, yet natural, blood red streaks through their hair.

People here also knew _everyone. _At school, practically all the teenagers dated each other. They just passed their exes on to other exes. In Forks, gossip could travel faster than light speed and it absolutely ticked Reyn off.

Aiden had a much easier time adapting to Forks…but Reyn vowed never to like it. It just was far too different then the warm, loving family feel to Hawaii or the fun, rugged, yet enthusiastic aura of Australia. Like the weather, it was cold out here.

The twins came to Forks at the beginning of the school year, in September of the previous year. They were seventeen but because of their intelligence, they were put into senior year and now they were graduated. Now, it was summer and Reyn realized that there were seven months left until she and Aiden had their birthdays, February 17th.

_Hah… some summer, _Reyn thought wryly.

Reyn's parents left home to roam the world by themselves once they stuck their twins in Australia. They virtually vanished from their lives. Laius La Pierre was the owner, CEO; whatever you would call it to the Apple Company. His wife, London La Pierre, was a former supermodel, but now…she was just a constant nightmare of Reyn's life.

While she stared out the window of her room at the downpour, her thoughts wandered aimlessly over her parents. Her father used to be the center point of her life until he left with her mother. She had never seen him since. London came around from time to time, claiming that she was getting "motherly" and that she "missed her children." That was the biggest bull crap Reyn had ever heard her mother spew out. She usually turned up when she found out that Reyn had recently acquired a boyfriend. Shortly after London's appearance, her boyfriend would break up with Reyn, claiming that he was no longer interested. This…in a sense was true…since London usually swayed them away from Reyn by means of acts of sexuality. Reyn had regularly caught her exes in the middle of sexual acts with her mother. Somehow…it didn't bother her as much as she should have thought…at least, not anymore. It was a routine with her mother.

No one ever knew but London had abused Reyn regularly when Reyn was younger. Of course, she never ratted out her mother because she harbored a deep-rooted fear of London. Outwardly, Reyn seemed like she merely despised her mother but it was a reaction to hide the fact that Reyn was terrified of her. London knew this and used it to her advantage. She played favoritism with Aiden too. She claimed that she liked her son much better. Aiden, the dumbshit that he was, believed her lies. Reyn didn't bother to convince him otherwise anymore.

Aiden and Reyn had always been attached at the hip…unless their mother happened to be at home. They use to do everything together. They would surf everyday after school, they had the same friends, the same likes, and the same dislikes….

Until the last time London showed up in Australia. Reyn starting going out with a nineteen-year-old when she was fifteen two weeks before her mother called to let her know that she was coming for a visit. Reyn knew it would have happened; she expected that much. The disturbing part was that she overheard her brother ratting her out to London. She knew Aiden loved his mother but she never thought he would actually call London to inform her of Reyn's love life.

Of course, her boyfriend dumped Reyn the night after he had sex with London. Reyn didn't protest and just walked off, unconcerned. He was slightly surprised at this reaction but he kept seeing her mother for the next two weeks that she stayed. Twice, Reyn _heard _them having sex, which she thought was disgusting.

Reyn didn't bother to confront Aiden and just began to ignore him for his betrayal. He thought this strange and tried to regain her friendship. Reyn never gave it….

Two years later, their relationship was still strained in certain aspects. They got along well enough, since they lived with only each other but they weren't quite as tight as they originally were which was perfectly fine to Reyn. She liked it better this way.

Being the children of exceptionally wealthy parents, they didn't live _inside _Forks. They had an estate about seven miles out from the town. The estate contained three buildings: the La Pierre manor, the garage that housed too many cars for two teenagers that lived alone to own, and the guesthouse. In the back of the house was an extension and it was an indoor pool that Reyn used often. It was mostly a glass room so swimmers could see the lush backyard and the surrounding woods. The complex was gated and the three buildings surrounded a large courtyard with an unnecessary fountain. They also owned the land around the estate for at least a mile.

In the manor, Reyn practically had the third floor to herself. Aiden's bedroom was the floor below hers and he rarely came up a flight of stairs to her floor. The third floor held a game room, literally built for video gaming, her bedroom, her walk-in closet that could be a decent sized bedroom within itself, her bathroom, and her large balcony with elegant French doors that looked out over the courtyard.

Through her room, she could get up to the fourth floor, the attic. She turned it into her hideout…for when she _really _needed peace. It was sort of a secret…seeing that Aiden had no idea it existed. The only way to get into it was through a door in the back of her walk-in closet, which she hid well with her trench coats. After she went through the concealed door, she could take the flight of stairs to her attic where she painted or relaxed. Aiden did not know that Reyn had taken up painting to relieve herself of her boring life.

Not only were they exceedingly wealthy, but her parents were also exceptionally gorgeous and their children were no exception. In some ways, they surpassed their parents' beauty. Reyn thought that this might be one reason why her mother hated her, and she didn't really put it past London.

The La Pierre family was widely known across the world. The twins were known mostly with the young adults and kids since they starred in T.V. shows for them. Reyn and Aiden modeled for clothes of various brands, but mostly catered to the skater and surf brands. They also have been in various movies, which were usually sci-fi ones, or ones based off books.

The twins usually went through a cycle with their celebrity life. Most of the time, the twins practically had a spotlight on them as far as fame went. Everything they said and did was documented and whatnot. However, there were periods of months where the twins would go on hiatus and disappear from the public eye. Right now, was one of those periods. Except this was the longest phase they have been away from cameras and fame, which was about a year and two months. Though, people still talked constantly about the La Pierre kids as if they were seen just the day before.

Laius was well known for inventing new technology for Apple, charities that he runs, and various things like sponsoring corporations. London no longer was in the modeling business as a model but now she was the designer of her own line of expensive clothes. She did occasional model work for ads in magazines but she wasn't quite as serious as she used to be about it.

Reyn could tell Aiden was coming up to her room merely by the fact that Aero's, her young pet wolf, ears perked up before he looked up at her door. She wondered if she should bolt to her attic but she decided just to stay put on her bed.

Two minutes later, he knocked on her door. "Yeah?" Reyn said. The door opened slightly and Aiden peeked his head through it.

"Hey, I'm going up to La Push," he said. "Did you want to come with me?"

This was yet another attempt of his to get her to reattach herself to him. However, she thought about going along anyway. He was going to the Indian Reservation and Reyn hadn't seen the kids up there for a while. She felt a little more at ease with them because they were very dark-skinned up there. However, many of the La Push boys were unusually tall…like seven feet, five inches tall.

In the end, she decided not to go. She felt like moping around the house today. "Nah, go ahead without me," she said with a gentle smile. Reyn saw the disappointment in his face but he smiled back.

"Okay, that's chill. Stay warm," he said before shutting the door.

Reyn could hear a car squeal out of the driveway about fifteen minutes later. She could tell by the engine's quieter rev that Aiden's car choice of the day was not the usual muscle cars he preferred. Her thoughts began to drift onto her friends out here. That thought made her laugh dryly. She really didn't have that many friends because most thought her very intimidating. Aiden had many friends because he made it a point to have them but he was just as intimidating as his sister was.

At the rez (short for the Indian Reservation), Reyn was friends with all the kids there…but she tended to resonate with Jacob Black a little better. In Forks, Reyn didn't spend time with anyone outside of when they had classes together the year before.

Reyn spent a lot of her time texting and talking on the phone with Alice Cullen. Her thoughts stopped for a moment at the word Cullen. She knew that she was good-looking but they Cullen family far outdid her looks. She couldn't explain how amazingly…_perfect_ they were. All had these strange gold eyes and they were all pale…except Emmett Cullen was slightly darker but not by much. There was a tie on who was the best looking out of them. It was between Rosalie Hale, Emmett's live-in girlfriend, and Edward Cullen.

Everyone in that house had a perfect match. Emmett had Rosalie, Alice had Jasper (who happened to be Rosalie's brother), and Edward had Bella Swan (who by no means came close to their beauty but was nonetheless beautiful. She was the police chief's daughter at Forks), and Carlisle (who was the father figure who adopted Alice, Edward, and Emmett) had Esme (the mother figure). They were all so lucky to be so in love.

Speaking of Bella Swan, Reyn liked her. She was sweet yet…stubborn. She seemed head over heels for Edward… who, likewise, felt the same for her. She seemed to be much more…normal than the Cullen/Hale family and Reyn could resonate with that more.

Reyn had been over to the Cullen's house a few times. It wasn't quite a mansion but it was fairly big. They seemed to be well off but Reyn couldn't find where their revenue was coming from. Carlisle was a highly skilled doctor but the hospital couldn't pay him what he really deserved and Esme didn't work at all. The kids didn't have any jobs…though…Reyn couldn't really see them doing normal, boring jobs like flipping burgers or selling clothes.

A loud, sharp bark snapped Reyn out of her monotonous thinking. She looked down at Aero, an eyebrow raised. "What?" she asked.

He jumped up and barked again. Reyn realized he wanted to take a walk. The idea sounded stupid since it was pouring rain outside but she suddenly didn't care anymore. She was tired of staying indoors and she'd risk getting sick.

Reyn threw on a light jacket after shoving her feet into her Converse Chuck Taylor's. Aero followed her downstairs and they walked out into the rain. She didn't bother with an umbrella, letting the icy water rush down her face and soaking her clothes within six minutes.

They walked around the lush, green forests that surrounded her complex. Reyn didn't feel like keeping track of the time so she didn't know how long she wandered with her wolf. Aero didn't need a leash and Reyn wasn't worried when he ran out of her sight. She knew he'd come back eventually, which he did.

She welcomed the cold. It numbed her mind and she didn't need to think. She just knew to keep her feet going in front of each other. Reyn wasn't sure where she was going but it didn't matter; she'd find her way home eventually.

The rain began to let up but it still was hard. She barely noticed it. Her body was stiff and frozen but Reyn didn't pause in her strides and didn't blink. There wasn't anything to focus her attention on so she trudged on in numb silence.

She felt herself jerk back suddenly. Reyn looked around and saw Aero tugging on her jacket with his teeth. "What?" she asked, abruptly aware of how cold she was. She tried to clench her fists to get the blood flowing back into her fingers. It hurt.

Aero released her jacket, staring up at her. He whimpered before bolting through the forest just on Reyn's right. "Hey!" Reyn shouted after him. She chased him at top speed, tripping on a tree root. Running through the vegetation proved to be much harder than expected.

The trees suddenly stopped and she stumbled onto a large emerald green meadow. Reyn was never one for scenery but still…it was breath taking. Aero was still running through the tall grass, only the top of his head visible while it bobbed up and down. He was sprinting out towards a tall figure standing in the middle of the clearing. The person's back was facing Reyn but she could tell it was a guy. He had short bronze colored hair that was flattened from the rain and broad shoulders.

Reyn walked through the grass, curious. There wasn't a hiking trail for _miles_; she was sure about that. She thought he might have been lost but his stance seemed too relaxed to be concerned about being lost.

When Aero tugged on the back of his shirt, he looked down. The figure went into a squat and began stroking Aero's soaking fur.

"Hey, are you lost?" Reyn said when she was six feet away from him. He turned to look at her and she nearly fell back in shock.

Edward Cullen.

"Edward!" she gasped in utter amazement. This was her old classmate she had graduated with. Edward Cullen was possibly the most beautifully gorgeous person on the planet. He was going out with Bella Swan at the moment, the luckiest girl in the world. Edward and Bella were Reyn's friends, not her best friends, but they had hung out a few times before. Why was she repeating this rapidly through her own head?

He stared at her with blank, black eyes. They looked so lost and empty. He was barely wearing anything, just a black and white button-up, a pair of nice jeans, and black laced Vans.

"Edward…?" she said, sounding very concerned now. He gazed at her blankly while Aero sniffed him curiously. "Are you okay? Edward?"

He didn't look away but his eyes were unfocused. Reyn suddenly felt apprehension hit her gut and she waved her hand in front of his face. He didn't blink.

"Edward!" she said alarmed. "What's wrong? Please, answer me. Are you all right?"

His eyes cleared slightly. "No…no, I'm not," he said quietly. He turned to Aero and stroked his head again. Reyn's brow furrowed in worry and adjusted her footing as she squat down next to him while putting some of her weight on her left hand.

"Why not?" she asked concerned, touching his forearm consolingly where his sleeves did not cover him. His skin was absolutely ice cold and extremely firm. "Oh, my god! Edward, you're freezing!"

The way his skin wasn't freaky. In fact, her father had been always icy cold and really firm to the touch. She was just shocked to find someone else in the same condition as her father. She wondered if it was some sort of a disease.

Reyn pulled off her jacket and put it on his shoulders. Reyn knew it would do absolutely nothing for him since she was soaked to the bone too but she meant well. She thought he considered pushing it away but thought better of it.

"You look like you've been sitting in the rain for hours! How long have you been out here?"

He shrugged.

"Four days…" he said indifferently. Reyn really did fall back from shock this time.

"What!" she gasped. "Four days? Through the storm? You're out of your mind! Oh my god, Edward. Your family must be so worried about you. You _have_ to be getting sick. We should get you home, c'mon."

She gripped his arm and pulled him up but he wouldn't move. He pushed her away. "Reyn, seriously…" he sighed. "I don't really need to go home."

"Why not?" Reyn demanded. "Why would you sit out here for four days?"

Edward didn't reply. He just stroked Aero quietly. "Strange…" he whispered, "I can't hear yours either. I guess I'm losing my touch…"

He had said it to himself so Reyn acted like she had not heard it. What would give his eyes a listless emptiness? What would make him so…sad? Reyn had known Edward for a little less than a year but she always saw a beautiful twinkle in his eye whenever she witnessed it. Reyn knew that Edward was exultant, even if he kept himself a little reserved. But now…? She thought for a while, watching Edward sit with Aero...stroking him mindlessly. Still Reyn pondered on it…wondering what could make him so unhappy… and then it clicked.

He only smiled when Bella was with him. He was happy when _she_ was around. Otherwise, he always seemed worried about her. He always seemed upset about her if she did something a little stupid and reckless. That was Bella's personality. When Edward's family left for a while, she supposedly rode a motorcycle with Jacob Black and even with cliff diving with the rez kids. Bella wasn't very well coordinated so it surprised Reyn when she heard it was actually true.

"…She broke up with you, didn't she?" Reyn whispered, barely above the sound of water hitting the surrounding ground. He froze and he was as motionless as a statue.

"Thank you…for not using her name," he replied just as inaudibly. Aero whimpered, sensing Edward's distress. His pain was so intense, so fierce that Reyn could feel it radiate powerfully out at her. Edward loved Bella with so much conviction and so much passion, Reyn was sure that he'd honestly die for Bella if he had to. Why…why would Bella break up with someone who truly and honestly loves her with all his being?

Maybe that was it.

Maybe…Edward loved Bella so much…that she felt that she didn't deserve his love. Or maybe Bella felt that he loved her too passionately and it scared her away. Perhaps, she was just too intimidated with Edward all together and she felt too normal for him, which Reyn heavily disagreed on. Bella was strange, but so beautiful at the same time. She had this cute…awkwardness about her that Reyn suddenly realized that that was Edward loved most about her.

"Yes," he choked. "She did…. But I can't blame her, to be honest. I am… dangerous…" Reyn stared out at the green grass, confused. Dangerous? She gazed at him again.

She knew this face very well, despite how little time she had actually spent with him. She had admired him from afar back in their school days. Bella had confided in Reyn a little about how worked up she gets about Edward. Reyn focused out on the horizon of the meadow while she thought about it all. Bella always seemed to be completely head over heels for him. Reyn was confused as to why she would ever end a relationship to him when she was madly in love with him. Hadn't Bella told Reyn that before? In fact, Reyn could remember a conversation that she had once had with Bella about how deeply Bella was in love with Edward. It was all starting to make absolutely no sense anymore and Reyn decidedly stopped trying to figure it out for her brain's sake. She looked back at Edward once more and she committed his face to memory.

"Edward…don't beat yourself up. You don't deserve that-"

He snorted. "I really didn't deserve what I received," he said bitterly. Reyn grew angry. If one thing pissed her off, it was when people play the pity party game and act so passive.

"Edward!" she nearly shouted. "For god's sake! I don't know why she broke up with you but don't you think it's her loss? For all you know, she was edgy and scared by you. There are so many reasons, but I doubt it's because you're dangerous."

He stood up and turned his smoldering eyes to glare intensely at her. "You have no _idea_ what you're talking about, Reyn," he snapped. Reyn recoiled at the sight of his fiery eyes burning into hers. He began to walk off and Reyn's jacket fell into the grass lithely. She followed him impulsively. As they passed it, Aero picked up her jacket in his mouth and trotted alongside her.

"Then help me understand…. I want to help you," she said to his back while they walked. "I may not know you very well but I still don't think you should deal with this completely on your own... No one should. People need support groups."

He laughed bitterly. "There is nothing you can do that will help me forget her," he said, reaching the forest of trees. There was so much pain in his voice. He was so lost now. Reyn could feel it bleed from his soul. She could feel it so much to the point that her eyes stung with tears. Edward truly loved Bella. His heart… was _dying_. It was such a sad thing to see. Reyn hated witnessing people dying inside. Her natural instinct is to help those who need help, whether they think they do or not.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered, her hair plastering her face. He stopped and turned to her with a look of vague surprise on his face. And to her own shock, she could feel warm tears slide down her face for him.

"Are – are you crying?" he asked incredulously, seeing unshed tears in her clear sea-blue eyes. She wiped them away though the rain from the sky just replaced them.

"I – I, yes," she murmured.

"Why?" he half-snapped. "I don't need your pity."

She looked up at him with her sad eyes. "It's not pity. It's compassion," she replied, sniffing slightly. They had stopped under the canopy of the trees so the rain wasn't as hard, but they were soaked to the bone. They stared at each other in tense silence. He looked like he was concentrating on something, like he was trying to find something out about her. His eyes reached desperately into her and Reyn couldn't pull herself away from his dark, almost pleading eyes. Yet, at the same time, he looked like he was torn between two different thoughts and he wasn't sure which one he should go with.

Abruptly, Edward's icy hand caught her chin and he gazed even harder down at her with those harsh, dark eyes. "I have changed my mind," he said, his tone riding on the edge of iciness and charm. "I've decided that there _is_ something you can do for me."

Reyn raised an eyebrow, his freezing fingertips sending shivers down her spine. Somehow, she didn't like the way that sounded.

"Go on," she said, her eyes locking with his. He smirked, his eyes still very dark, almost hateful. She would stand her ground, no matter how intimidating he was. And he was extremely intimidating.

"Seeing that you feel I'm _unstable_ with my intense heartbreak," he said with a tone of mocking, "what lengths would you go to, if I asked it of you, to help me heal?" Reyn stared wildly at him. The question sounded like she loved him or something. However, she knew that Edward in pain was something she couldn't ignore, especially since she found him in a meadow, drenched.

"Anything," she blurted out. Reyn cringed inwardly but recovered at light speed. "Just as long as it is within my moral values and in good taste."

He laughed bitterly. "Well, I really didn't mean it like that," he said, his eyes narrowing.

"Then how do you mean it, Edward?" she snapped, ignoring the strange thrill that shot through her whenever she ever mentioned his name.

"I want you to be with me," he said plainly. It wasn't from a lover's standpoint; hell, it didn't even sound like it was from a friend's standpoint. Reyn crossed her arms. Suddenly, she snorted.

"How vague," she said. "In what context?"

Edward rolled his eyes, still holding her chin. "Well, not like we're in love or something. I mean, I want you to watch over me, make sure I don't kill myself over her, things like that. This is until I'm completely healed from this situation. I don't think it's wise for me to be alone anyway," he explained. "And…when I say 'be with me,' I mean physically with me."

What a ridiculous request! Reyn had stopped breathing entirely at the insanity of his statement. "_Are you out of your mind?_" she said, her voice rising and jerking her head from his grasp. "Do you honestly expect me to just be your personal slave and gallivant around with you to console you 24/7?"

He smiled, though it did not reach his eyes. "Yes, that's basically it."

"Fine," she said tartly, and completely by accident. Her eyes grew big. What did she just agree to! Edward smirked.

"I hope you realize you can't back out now," he said breezily. "I won't let you."

Something about that statement pleased Reyn immensely. Perhaps it was because he had said it so… seductively. Or maybe it was just the fact that she realized she would be spending every waking moment with the God of Beauty. Reyn turned to her wolf.

"What do you think?" she asked Aero, who barked approvingly. "Ah, I'm guessing you like him…"

Edward laughed briefly and again… it did not touch his eyes. The pain and empty sadness still haunted those black circles. He was faking his calm attitude, she knew that. He was trying to get over Bella…but he was going about it all wrong.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked her when she stared at him for a minute. She looked away and up to the canopy of trees where rain was pelting her face.

"You're good at masking your pain," she said quietly. "It's…sad."

He caught her chin again and turned her face to his own. Edward glared at her.

"What makes you think I'm masking it?" he asked as icily as his skin on her face. "For all you know, this is how I show my pain-"

"Quit lying through your teeth, Edward," she retorted, pushing his hand from her head; there was that thrill again whenever she said his name. "I'm willing to help you but if you merely make this a sick game of wits and physical desire, I'm putting my foot down. I want you to be absolutely honest with me."

He froze.

"There are some things…that are meant to be kept secret, Reyn," he said slowly. "Family secrets…things I just could not say."

Reyn exhaled slowly, the rain starting to get to her now. "That's fine. I meant be honest with your feelings. I don't want you to fake everything with me all the time. That's part of the bargain. I'll stay with you, as long as you want me and need me to, and you have to be vulnerable at times."

He considered it.

"Okay, I'll be 'vulnerable' if I get to use you," he countered with another one of his perfect smirks. Reyn thought for a moment.

"Fine. Do we have an agreement?" she asked, putting her hand out to shake his.

"Yes," he said, taking her hand in his. He didn't shake it. Instead, he yanked her to him and he embraced her. She could feel him breathe her in deeply, his nose in her hair. She stiffened but held him anyways.

"You smell absolutely delicious," he hissed into her ear. The way he had said it made her shiver in fear; it was like he wanted to eat her or something. She pushed that thought from her mind. "And remember, I get to use you…and that means whatever I feel like doing."

Reyn didn't and _wouldn't_ reply. She bit her tongue, deciding against saying something hurtful. He didn't need any more pain than he already had. The rain showered the pair while Aero waited patiently. The cold water coupled with the freezing touch Edward had was enough to cause her to grow goose bumps all over her arms.

Suddenly, Reyn realized that her summer wasn't going to be so dull after all. That thought made her grin.


	2. What's Wrong with Being Selfish?

**Author's Note: Like I said in the previous chapter, I wrote this about a year ago. I had gone through a big writer's block and life crisis (haha) so I didn't pick this story back up until about two weeks ago. Anyways, I know my writing is quite the best in the first four chapters but I am banking on the fact that the plot line is interesting enough to hold all of your attention. I know I also write really freaking long chapters but that's because I wrote this a Microsoft Word before I transferred it over to this. Meaning, I wrote this story like a book and not like...a story. Yes, to me there is a difference. Anyways, please have fun. You all are more than welcome to review, favorite, alert, blah blah blah whatever you feel like doing. **

**I do not own anything of the Twilight Saga. I only claim my OCs and plot line.**

Chapter Two: "What's Wrong with Being Selfish?"

True to her word, Reyn spent the next four weeks with Edward. At night, Edward would return home and then when she woke up, she hurried through daily routines before Edward would arrive at her door. They usually spent their day in her room or in the adjacent recreation room. They, strangely, had a good time around each other, laughing, arguing, and snapping harsh insults at each other, the usual. Then, somewhere around nine thirty p.m., he would go home.

Odd thing was, he always seemed to leave right before Aiden showed up. Usually, at nine thirty-ish, he would say he would go home and see her the next day. Reyn would see him to his car, a shiny silver Volvo, to which Reyn did _not_ like, and he sped away at light speed. Once Reyn went back inside, two minutes later, she would hear Aiden pull up in one of the cars. Aiden wasn't around when Edward was. Apparently, Edward was highly reserved with Aiden. So, her brother hung out at the reservation instead of chilling with his sister and her seemingly newest "best" friend. Reyn didn't mind that though. She had a feeling that her brother would just harass Edward until the world ended. Her twin usually left early in the morning. Normally, Reyn would wake up at eight or so and Aiden would leave somewhere between nine or ten. Sometimes, Edward would show up before he left, which only made Aiden leave faster. Reyn got the feeling Aiden didn't particularly like him.

London had called the day before. She was wondering how her children were doing. Of course, Reyn was very cold to her. She had nothing to say to her mother. She didn't have a part in Reyn's life. Her father was even worse. Reyn couldn't exactly recall what her father looked like, to be honest. The fact of the matter was though, Reyn couldn't sleep that well anymore. She really wished that her family would actually be around to nurture and love their children. But that wish would never come true, no matter how much she prayed for it. Edward was becoming her distraction. He kept her mind off her family matters. However, even those thoughts were beginning to consume her mind. She had to remain strong, for his sake. He was the one in need of help; he was the one in pain. She had to help his soul mend before she could tend to her own. Reyn promised him that.

She dreamt of Edward that night, but he was very sad in her dreams. He did not hide behind a veil of charm and class. He let her see how hurt and unhappy he was about the breakup with Bella. This was the Edward Reyn wished he would show her. He was adamant though. He wouldn't dare to be caught being so… "weak." She had assured him that she would still accept him but he didn't care. He wasn't going to be as vulnerable as she would have liked.

But the dream changed. She recognized this dream; it wasn't the first time she had it. However, as the years went by, she lost more and more of this dream memory. She couldn't even remember his face anymore.

Flashes of walking through the woods with an adult man kept crossing her sight. She remembered…. She remembered him… whoever he was. He was very sweet…. But that was twelve years ago. That…was just a memory-

Reyn opened her eyes when a freezing cold draft went down her neck and her body.

"The hell?" she whispered, shivering uncontrollably. Why_ is it so cold?_ It was morning of the end of the fourth week. She shifted to find a warm spot in her blanket but suddenly realized something impeded her movement. Reyn cautiously and confusedly lifted the coverlet and found a pale arm draped across her bare abdomen. She froze.

This could _not_ be happening.

"Would you quit moving around, it's annoying," a harsh yet silky voice snapped just beside her.

Reyn screamed in shock and fell out of the bed, clinging to the bedspread in fright. "Augh!" she exhaled when she hit the carpet on her back.

Edward roared with laughter from her large bed. Reyn glared up at him as he leaned over the side to look down at her. "Sleep well?" he teased with a smile.

She growled angrily and stood up in her pajamas, which was a cutoff hot pink tank top and cotton sleeping pants that read **Exile in Temptation** on the butt and chest. He eyed her attire with an approving smirk.

"Ass," she hissed. He smiled.

"Maybe," he replied good-naturedly before using a harmless tone. "I couldn't be by myself last night. I came to sleep with you."

Reyn's eyes grew wide with disgust and she oddly blushed. "How the hell did you get in here!" she demanded, putting her hands on her hips. He laughed, and pointed. Her balcony with her French doors. _But how the heck did he climb three stories to the window? There aren't any trees that could help him._

"Are you perverted," she snapped, "or just retarded?"

"What?" he asked innocently. "I was _lonely_."

She sighed heavily, her defenses useless when he used his gorgeous puppy-dog face and his smooth, velvety voice.

"I hate it when you do that," she growled, turning to the bathroom. Edward's eyes zeroed in on her smooth back and he stared in shock. On her right shoulder, was a tattoo about the size of her palm of a phoenix. Edward was astounded. He never expected her to have something like that. When she came back from using the restroom, he said, "I didn't know you had a tattoo…"

She smirked. "It's not the only place I have one," she said with a laugh. Edward raised an eyebrow in interest.

"Oh really…?"

"Yes, really," sighed Reyn. She lifted up her pants and on her left ankle were glyphs of some sort. After that, she pushed back her hair to show a very small cross just behind her right ear. All in all, they weren't very large tattoos so Edward could see why he had never seen them before. "There…happy now."

Edward was frowning. "I really don't condone inking one's body like that," he said honestly. Reyn rolled her eyes.

"It's not your body, is it?" she snapped.

"No, but I really think you're going to regret them when you get older."

"I'm getting them removed when I'm older, moron. Duh," she said scathingly. Edward growled.

"Well, as far as I'm concerned, you shouldn't have ruined your body like that. I swear, _teenagers_ these days," he mumbled. Reyn gaped at him.

"What the hell!" she cried. "You're a teen too, dip shit. Hasn't it occurred to _you_ that you don't exactly fit in with today's day and age?"

"Any particular point you were trying to make?" snapped Edward. "I am not attempting to be clones like everyone else, Reyn. If you got those tattoos so you can imitate others, then you're a lot more superficial then I had ever realized-"

"I'm _not_ superficial," Reyn snarled. "If anything, I'm far from it."

Edward thought for a moment and smiled. "Yes, okay…well, you aren't _that_ superficial. I'll give you that much…. Now can we drop this subject? I'd rather not fight."

Reyn thought for a moment, wondering if there was a benefit to keep arguing with him or not.

"Oye," she said, sitting down on her bed again and she fell back with a hand at her face. "You really exhaust me, Edward."

"I'm sorry to hear that," he replied, leaning over her head. He picked up her slender hand and removed it from her eyes. Today, his eyes were amber and fiery. Odd, they've been black for weeks…. Now they looked softer. He smiled. Reyn wondered when the day would come when the smiles he gave would actually reach all parts of his face, such as his golden eyes.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked.

This was his favorite question. Whenever Reyn started to zone out into her own thoughts, he always asked what she thought. She sat up to avoid his intense eyes. "Nothing, really. You're really bizarre though," she said quietly. She ruffled her hair to give it more volume. He chuckled.

"More than you know." Reyn turned to him. He was laying fully stretched out on her bed with his hands behind his head. His hair was a bit untidy and he looked tired. He wore a simple black button down that was open slightly at the chest and was rolled up to under his elbows, Calvin Klein jeans, and some black socks. Reyn looked around and found a black leather coat and a scarf draped over the couch arm.

"What do the symbols mean on your ankle?" he asked to the ceiling.

She smiled. "It means 30 Seconds to Mars…they're my favorite band."

Edward snorted but didn't say anything. He didn't have to; Reyn already knew he was disappointed that she got a tattoo that related to a band. However, that was actually her favorite tattoo of the three she had.

"How are you feeling?" she asked, placing her hand on his forehead. At her touch, he shut his eyes like he was absorbing her being. "You're still really cold."

But she was use to him being so chilly. She didn't know why she made the statement when she had gone over it with him plenty of times before.

He shook his head slightly. "I'm always cold. I'm fine, physically speaking." Reyn couldn't help but frown.

"What about emotionally?" He opened his eyes even though her hand still stroked his cheek softly.

"Not so good, actually. I'm getting worse," he replied honestly. "I think it may be the guilt from knowing that I'm around another girl to wipe her memory from my mind."

"I don't think forgetting is what you should be trying to do, Edward," she said gently. "I don't think that's the answer. What you should be doing is accepting the circumstances. You need to accept the path that you are now on. Otherwise… you'll never overcome this."

He remained still and silent for a while. "Why do you care so much? We hardly know each other."

"We've spent every single day together for the last month. I know you better than you would like to believe…" she replied. "And I'm sure you know me quite well."

"You didn't answer my question…."

Reyn laughed. "It's my personality, I guess."

"Well, you have such an idiotic personality," he replied. Reyn grinned.

"Perhaps."

Their relationship was weird but she liked it. Most of the time, they teased each other or got on each other's nerves. Reyn enjoyed his company, even if he was sad most of the time. "What's it like to be perfect?" she asked abruptly. Edward turned to stare at her with a mixture of shock and anger.

"Excuse me?" he asked, sounding insulted and confused. Reyn backed off a little. "Exactly, what are you saying?"

"Er – what I meant was… I dunno, I mean, look at you!" said Reyn desperately. "I just was curious to what it was like to be so god damn gorgeous and to have alluring old age charm that totally stuns women in their tracks!"

He bolted up and leaned towards her with all his weight on his hands. Edward gazed at her through his long eyelashes with his ocher eyes. Reyn froze at the sight of his brilliant face.

"You mean like this?" he teased in his velvet voice. It took Reyn three seconds to recover and when she did, she glared at him.

"Yes, like _that!"_ she snapped. He smirked and she attempted to glare even harder, though it became a useless effort. "Stop that!"

She stood up in an attempt to avoid his fiery eyes and began to go to her bathroom. Reyn flew back onto the bed instantly, the place on her arm where his hand had been now freezing.

"Where do you think you're going?" he inquired, bending over her.

"Can a woman have a moment to be a woman?" she grumbled up at him. "Or will your _fragile little heart_ break the second I leave?"

The smirk was instantly replaced with an intense glare, where his lips were pressed into a hard line. "That was below the belt."

His tone was not inviting or even calm. All the muscles in his body were tense and she could feel it. It seemed that it took all his self-control not to lose all of his temper with her. Edward sat up, his glorious face anything but happy. Reyn stood up again, realizing that she shouldn't have spoken so candidly or rudely. She felt deep remorse while her eyes followed him to the balcony. He wrenched the French doors open and went to stand out in the heavy mist that surrounded the house. Reyn swallowed her pride and stepped out onto the large balcony. She decided to stay behind him, not wanting to see his face.

"Are you angry?" she whispered. Reyn held her arms, feeling terrible for saying cruel things. He gripped the bar and his knuckles turned white.

"I think _hurt_ would be a better expression," he growled. Reyn guiltily held her arms tighter in an effort to relieve her humiliation. Again, she beat back her ego and stepped towards him to where she was a foot from him.

"Edward, I'm so sorry," she murmured to his back, hoping the sincerity was smothering her voice. "I really had no right to say that."

Reyn waited, _prayed_ for a response but he didn't and that made it a hundred times worse. She wanted anything to come from his lips, even enraged yelling would be better than the pained silence he was giving. Her guilt abruptly became too much to tolerate and tears streaked her cheeks. She had always been the sensitive type; any little thing could cause her to start bawling. Without thinking, she slid her arms around his waist, his cold skin reaching to her inner being, and she held him from behind. He froze momentarily under her touch before placing a pale hand on hers. _Strange_, she thought vaguely, _I should feel a heartbeat… I know my hand is right there…_

That thought only caught her attention for a moment though. She suddenly remembered how guilt-ridden she was and Reyn started to sob into his back, soaking his shirt with salty tears. How could she be so _selfish?_ She was here for him and his pain, and here she was, crying uncontrollably on someone who really needed a shoulder for himself. She hated herself, more than she ever had before in her life. Edward was the one in pain; Edward was the person who needed to cry…. It was so _fricken_ _ridiculous_ how she was the one doing the crying now. It was absolutely ludicrous.

It all became crystal clear what her intentions were though. She kept him near her for her own sake, not for his. She unexpectedly realized this and it stabbed at her heart to have such knowledge of her treachery. Reyn kept Edward close to her so she wouldn't have to deal with the emptiness of the house, the barren _wasteland_ that ran through her heart. Her parents' love didn't exist and she needed something to divert her thoughts so she wouldn't miss something that she had never had in her life. What better thing to consume her mind and time than Edward Cullen, who lost the love of his life, who was in need of a gentle push in the right direction to reclaim his life? He needed healing, so Reyn might as well concentrate on him, right? Was that so wrong, to help someone in need?

Yes… it was.

At least, the way she was going about it. It was out of selfishness, not sincerity. She wanted a distraction, now that nothing in Washington could thoroughly entertain her like surfing had. Reyn felt the deepest revulsion for herself. He didn't deserve to be treated like he was. Edward needed someone _pure_, not some dirty, tainted, fraud and a coward like her. She couldn't help but hold him even tighter.

If one thing was unyielding, if one thing was strong and consistent, it was Edward. For four weeks straight, he was there; everyday he was there at nine-thirty sharp and he left at nine-thirty at night, _every day_. If one thing could stabilize her, just for a minute at least, it was him. It was such a selfish thought… to want someone for purely pastime distraction….

Edward broke away from her embrace and turned to face her. Immediately, Reyn put her hands to her face, not wanting him to see her crying, not wanting him to see her looking so pathetic and dismal. She felt like a little girl who was losing control. Cold hands wrapped gently around hers and pulled them away from her eyes.

This was the first time she had ever cried in front of him. Even when she had hurt herself during the past few weeks, she didn't cry. She wondered if he was disgusted with her behavior.

"Why are you crying?" he asked softly. Reyn opened her bloodshot eyes and found him kneeling on the ground, searching up into her face with his tawny eyes. "I know it's not because of me."

She bit her lip and shook her head, agreeing to the statement. Reyn tried to turn away but he held her still. "Reyn…" he said delicately. "Talk to me."

She avoided his eyes at all costs. One look into those beautiful ocher spheres and she would spill her guts in a second. He knew what her intentions were and he gripped her hands slightly tighter with one hand and the other went to her jaw. His icy fingertips turned her face to his almost sharply.

"Please," he whispered, using the same smoldering eyes look that he had teased her with before. That wasn't fair. He couldn't use that tactic on her! He was cheating. Reyn began to shake, not from the cold temperature from the air or the freezing touch he had. It was because she was about to burst from everything she had kept inside her. Reyn was sobbing again and she tried desperately to turn away but he didn't let her budge. He wanted to see her cry. Edward touched her cheek and her tears fell into his fingers. They were unbelievably hot on him. There were only three words she could choke out.

"I'm…so s-selfish…."

It took a small moment for the statement to register within him and when it did, he couldn't help but chuckle at her. She stared wide-eyed at him, hurt beyond all comprehension. He found her pain… _amusing?_

"What the hell is so funny?" she snapped, reverting back to her old personality, her tears not abating, but now falling even faster with her growing anger. He smirked and his fingertips went to her wine-colored lips to stop her from speaking when she opened her mouth again.

"Nothing," he answered, becoming distracted with how delicately soft and full her lips were. His fingers traced her trembling lips lightly. "How so?"

She cocked her head slightly to the side in confusion.

"I mean, how could you possibly be selfish?" he clarified, tearing his eyes away from her skin and to her own eyes. "You're helping me heal and that certainly is not –"

He was cut short when she fell to her knees onto the hardwood floor in a fit of more tears. Edward stared at her in bewilderment, while she cried into her hands. Aero sensed his owner's apparent distress and stood by the balcony doors watching.

"It _is_ selfishness, Edward!" she cried. "I'm… just distracting myself with your problems so I don't have to answer to my own…. Your problems are diverting me not to think about my empty, black heart that I have grown so accustomed to! You don't deserve this, Edward. I'm so dirty, so corrupt, so _tainted_. My own fricken parents don't even love me like they should.

"I can't hide it anymore. My ego, my selfish pride is the only reason that has kept you here. Otherwise, I'm sure you'd be gone! I keep you around so I don't have to deal with how broken I am! It's ridiculous how self-centered I'm acting. I don't think I ever thought of you when I agreed to help you. It was all about me…. I was just helping you so I could help me…"

She went silent and she began to rock back and forth while holding her bare stomach for support. He couldn't help but smile slightly at her vulnerable figure. It was the first time he had ever seen anyone so open with who they were. Edward lifted her head. Reyn's face was stained with tears, her cerulean eyes dull and dark.

"_What's wrong with being selfish?"_ he asked with a smile. The tears stopped almost at once. For the first time in a month, the smile touched his eyes. She stared at him, in pure astonishment. She had finally witnessed her first true smile from him. Reyn lowered her eyes to her hands, shocked.

"You honestly think you're being selfish?" he scoffed, pulling her easily onto her feet. "Look at _me_! For a month now, I've been using you to shelter myself away from intense pain. You've been my shield. Don't you think that's being egotistical?"

Reyn looked at him with a bit of severity. "Your situation is a little different than mine is-"

"Don't be absurd, Reyn," Edward interjected, turning to look out over the courtyard. "I lost love, you never had love. It may be from different standpoints but it's all the same when you get to simplicity. So, what's so wrong with being selfish? We're both doing it. Frankly, I'd like to say I enjoy being selfish. Hell, I've been enjoying every minute of this _entire_ arrangement."

Reyn laughed in spite of herself. "And a strange arrangement it is," she said, standing next to him.

"So, by all means, be selfish. Be as selfish as you want," said Edward, gazing at her. Reyn turned her face to him and smirked.

"Well, in _that_ case…" she said, stepping closer to him, "I'm never letting you leave my side." He returned the smirk while he towered over her slender figure. Edward ran a hand through her hair to push it from her eyes.

"Sounds reasonable enough," he replied indifferently, reaching to wipe away the last of her tears. "Though… I wonder how long 'never' implies."

Reyn looked thoughtful for a moment. "Until we die. Fair enough?"

Edward's gaze hardened minutely but she saw it. She had been around him enough to see even the slightest of facial changes because that's all he ever did. His face never changed in any other way.

"What if I never die?"

She raised an eyebrow curiously at him. "What d'you mean?" she asked. His tawny eyes averted from hers. In that instant, she knew he was hiding something.


	3. Crash

**Author's Note: Okay, so before anyone gets all mad or whatever, I want you to know that yes, Edward is slightly out of character from the Twilight series. The reason being is the fact that he had his heartbroken. If you haven't ever gone through real heartbreak, you would probably not understand. Right now, Edward is very cynical and very bitter, which is why he is acting the way he is. Anyways, this also was written over a year ago. Please enjoy, review, bash, criticize, blah blah blah. Whatever you wish.**

**I do not own anything from the Twilight Saga. I only claim my OCs and plot line.**

Chapter Three: Crash

Of course, she had no idea what exactly he was hiding but she knew there was something. He had mentioned a family secret once before that he had to keep and now she wondered if that had anything to do with it. Naturally, she respected his right to privacy so she didn't meddle.

"Never mind. I don't know why I asked that," he said with a stunning smile. He was good, but not that good. Reyn knew better than to get distracted with that glorious smile, even though it really did touch his eyes again. He was trying to make her forget… but he never understood how stubborn she could get. She was just too persistent. "C'mon. Go change so you can eat breakfast."

Reyn obeyed.

Edward met her in the kitchen at the counter where she usually had breakfast. He was in the middle of making sausage, eggs, and toast though he looked like he wasn't particularly enjoying the experience. Edward _never_ ate around her. She wondered when he _did_ eat because he always refused food from her all day long. Maybe he was too self-conscious to eat around her. Or maybe he had some crazy eating disorder, like anorexia, though Reyn doubted it. He snapped at her a few times about asking why he never ate so she eventually stopped prying.

"Don't you trust me?" she suddenly blurted out while he poured the sausages onto a paper plate in front of her. He turned to the fridge for the milk carton, thoughtful. He raised an eyebrow at her before setting a glass of cold milk in front of her.

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

Reyn rolled her eyes.

"What do you think it means, moron?" she snapped, hating when he dodged questions. Whenever he didn't want to answer a question, he usually asked another question as his answer. He knew this was one of Reyn's pet peeves but he took no notice of her hard glare.

"Of course I trust you."

He had spoken a bit callously. She, with much difficulty, stifled a much-needed snort.

"Yeah, okay," she replied, sounding skeptical. Edward buttered her toast more forcefully than she thought necessary and he threw it on her plate.

"You don't believe me?" he demanded. Reyn smirked at him.

"Nope."

He snorted for her this time. "And why not?"

Reyn sipped her milk delicately after she swallowed her sausage. He was now cleaning her dishes in front of her while she sat at the counter. Edward gazed fiercely at her through those long eyelashes. She knew she had to relent, otherwise he'd bitch a fit. "Because I know you're hiding something from me."

Edward lowered his eyes immediately and scrubbed one of her plates vigorously. Reyn watched him with amused curiosity. "And you're silence just confirmed my thoughts."

His head snapped up quickly and he glared for the hundredth time that morning at her. She held her ground with difficulty but she remained steady. His eyes were absolutely blazing with contempt but she half-smiled at his reaction to relieve her knotted stomach. She couldn't help but glance at the glass cup he was gripping tightly in his pale hands. He was shaking slightly.

"Edward!" she cried a second before the cup shattered in his grasp. Pieces flew in all directions of the kitchen. She put her hands up to shelter her face when they soared at her. She yelped, positive that she was about to be riddled with cuts. But nothing hit her.

"You're fine," said Edward quietly. Reyn lowered her arms and found him leaning over the counter, holding a large piece of the glass that had almost hit her cheek. _How the hell did he catch that? There's no way he has skills like that_, she thought. He lowered his arm, which was outstretched and next to her face, and sighed.

"Edward, are you okay? Are you bleeding?" she pressed. Reyn had used a tone of alarm and worry. She immediately jumped down from her tall stool to check him but he somehow swept her off her feet with speed she had never seen before she could even reach the corner of the counter.

"_What_ are you _thinking_?" he snapped. "You don't go running around near glass bare foot! What are you, stupid?"

She blushed and he put her on the counter near the fridge. He turned to the glass that was on the floor but she caught his sleeve and wrenched him towards her. She took his hands in hers, thinking they should be bleeding but upon examination, they weren't. They were just freezing cold and firm, as usual.

"Why aren't your hands bleeding?" she demanded, turning his right hand over, as if this would make the cuts appear.

"I'm fine." He tried to turn away but she stopped him.

"That's not what I asked," she snapped. "Any _normal_ person would be bleeding uncontrollably. You on the other hand, are not."

He shrugged, smirking darkly at her. "Then I guess I'm not normal," he replied mischievously. Reyn rolled her eyes.

"Yes, I already inferred that and I think that's fairly obvious," she replied, slightly chagrined. He chuckled and she immediately looked at his eyes. The laugh went to his eyes too. Good.

"How rude. What is a normal person to you then, Reyn Andréa La Pierre?" he asked teasingly.

"Ugh, don't use my full name please," she protested. He glanced at her with a triumphant smirk while he bent down to pick up the glass. "Well, for starters, any normal person isn't outrageously beautiful or charming. Secondly, a normal person has the average body temperature of 98.7 degrees, which you don't have. Thirdly, a normal human being eats an average of three times a day, and you don't do that either. And finally, a normal individual doesn't exude weird activity, such as shattering glass in a matter of point three seconds or not bleeding when you really should or moving at light speed, among other strange things."

She inhaled deeply. He laughed from the floor. "Okay, well, I did not count on you being so observant. A mistake on my part. However, what are you implying then?" he asked, sounding innocent. He looked up at her with twinkling eyes. Her own cerulean ones narrowed suspiciously.

"You must be… an extraterrestrial being from planet… Endor in a far off galaxy or something," she replied after a moment of thought. She sounded serious but Edward couldn't help but chuckle at the statement.

"Endor, huh? Someone is stealing from _Star Wars_…"

Reyn smirked. "Well, at least I didn't say you were some sort of mutated Ewok or something."

Edward laughed.

"So, let me understand this…you think I'm an alien?" he clarified, returning to the remaining glass on the floor. It took some effort not to laugh more than he already had.

"Or the like."

He threw the glass into the trash and approached her. He put his hands at the sides of her and leaned towards her face; she stiffened in surprise with how close he had gotten to her. "Well, I can assure you, I'm not going to abduct you," he chortled, stunning her with his cold breath, "because if I _was_ an alien, that's something I would do so I could keep you with me forever."

She grinned mischievously.

"Nice try Edward, but I'm not letting this one go," she laughed. She knew he was trying to distract her and divert her to something else…. He did this often to avoid anything that was uncomfortable. Edward sort of frowned.

"Damn, you're a lot more stubborn than I anticipated."

She laughed wryly. "So, you're not human, are you?" she asked, staying on subject.

Edward gave her his infamous, almost arrogant smirk that she absolutely hated and loved. "The truth?"

Reyn snorted and folded her arms. "Preferably, yes."

He looked like he hesitated but thought better of lying. "No, I'm not and neither is the rest of my family…but we are _not _aliens."

She raised a quizzical eyebrow but also grinned in triumph. She wasn't scared but she figured early on that he wasn't something like her. Now more than ever, she was absolutely fascinated with him. She realized that whatever he may be was the very reason why he thought he was dangerous, hence why he felt he deserved the pain Bella had given him. "So, when will you be telling me exactly what you are?"

He laughed heartily and he moved away from her. "That's all up to you."

Reyn looked at him confusedly. "Me? So tell me now, if that's the case!"

Edward shook his head teasingly. "I'd rather not."

"Why not?" she pursued, while putting on her best sad, puppy-dog face. He raised an eyebrow.

"That's not going to get you any answer, Reyn," he chuckled. "If you're going to use that face, it's going to need more work," he added. Reyn growled contemptuously. She jumped down off the counter and poked him hard in the chest.

"Okay, Mr. Zipped Mouth, if you don't want to tell me, fine. But I will find out what you are, you can bet your life on that. I've officially made it my life's mission to find out what mystical being you are and there is nothing you can say to make me do anything otherwise."

He laughed mockingly at her. "Are you sure about that?" he taunted slightly.

"Yep," said Reyn proudly. "But if you want, you can try to sway me, though I doubt you're going to get anywhere."

"Then you don't know me that well."

"No, I don't which is why I'm trying to find out _what_ you are," she replied. Edward shook his head. "But go ahead, persuade me not to figure out what you are."

He thought for a moment, trying to formulate his thoughts into words. "You're going to find that you're not going to like it if you find out. What if I said that I wish you wouldn't try anyway?" he asked airily, taking hold of her hand that had prodded him.

"Well, I honestly wouldn't care what you wished, as far as that goes."

Edward sighed quietly. "I'm telling you, you're not going to like what you'll find," he replied.

"What are you trying to say? That you're evil or something?" she snapped. He shrugged.

"Technically… yes."

"So, you're trying not to be evil… that means you're good."

"I didn't say that," he countered, his face still amused. Reyn scowled at him.

"Then, you're truly evil," she stated, instead of asking, since that was what he was trying to say. She hardly agreed but that was what Edward was looking for.

"I didn't say that either."

Reyn slapped him hard on his chest but all it did was hurt her hand because he was so rock hard. "Then what the hell _are_ you saying?" she exclaimed. He sighed and took her face into his hands.

"I'm telling you that you don't want to know what I am. It's better this way."

Edward stared her with serious but calm, pleading eyes. She couldn't break the gaze because she couldn't turn her head away from him; his hands prevented that. His eyes were intense and they burned into her soul. It suddenly dawned on Reyn of why he was so adamant on withholding his secret. Edward was afraid that the knowledge of his true self could inadvertently scare her away from him and then he would have no means to heal. Reyn almost pitied him but more than anything, she felt a stronger desire to stay with him….

_Forever…. _

"You're not going to scare me away, Edward. I still want help you. I don't care what you are," she replied. He blinked, a little shocked at her declaration. "And you're not evil if you're trying to be good, no matter what kind of creature you are."

"Well, I'm sentenced to Hell, so that should mean I'm evil-"

Reyn put her hand on his lips. "Everyone goes to Heaven, as far as I'm concerned. I'm a firm believer in Christ and that he died for our sins. That means he died for yours too."

Edward's gaze went dark. "I have no say in religious matters."

"If you believe in Hell, then surely you believe in Heaven and God!" Reyn exclaimed when he turned away from her.

"If God is truly good and holy, then he wouldn't have made me into the monster I am today," Edward whispered. Reyn glared at him. She couldn't believe his pessimism. She wanted to slap some sense into him. It was silent for a few minutes before she calmed herself.

"Edward," she murmured. "If I can prove that God and Christ are real and that you are the way you are because they wanted you to be like this for a good reason… if I can just prove to you that you aren't what you think you are, will you believe in God? Will you believe that?"

He turned to look at her. He was very still and very quiet for along time before he decided to answer. "Only if you can prove it," he joked. Reyn smiled and embraced him. Reyn unclipped her necklace, which was a very simple, silver cross.

"I want you to wear this. It's blessed and it gives you protection," she said, holding it up. Edward eyed it with doubt but the bright look in her eyes was too hard to deny.

"Fine," he sighed. She grinned and slipped it around his neck. Once it was fastened, she stood back to have a good look at it. It fit him well but she didn't think that he liked it very much. That made her laugh.

"Reyn, I'm serious…please don't gallivant around to try and figure out what I am," he pleaded.

"Why not? If I know who you are, I can accept you fully. Doesn't that sound _good_ to you?" she countered. He rolled his eyes.

"Why the hell are you so stubborn?"

Reyn laughed good-naturedly. "Sorry, it's just who I am."

"Well, it's ridiculously aggravating, if you ask me."

"Then, I guess I'm not asking you."

He snorted and turned away because Reyn was still staring at his cross. "What about you?" he whispered. She raised an eyebrow at his back.

"What about me?" she inquired.

"Don't you need a cross? So you're protected, I mean."

Reyn chuckled. "Oh, yeah. Well, I'll get one soon. Don't worry about it." He smiled to himself, unbeknownst to her, and he touched the cross gently with his fingers.

* * *

"I think I'm going to buy you a car," said Reyn that afternoon while they sat out on the porch. The rain was pouring from the sky relentlessly as a new storm was at its peak but the pair stayed dry under the roof. Lightning cracked in the sky, followed closely by thunder.

"_Why?"_ asked Edward incredulously. Reyn laughed at his bewildered expression.

"Seriously? I mean, _look_ at what you drive!" she exclaimed, pointing to his silver Volvo that sat beside the fountain, being pelted with rain.

"What's wrong with my car, dammit?" he snapped.

"Um, hello! It's _so_ not you! I'm picturing you behind the wheel of… an Audi or a Jag or a Maserati," she said excitedly. Reyn stared off into space for a moment. "Yeah, like an Audi R8 in silver or a silver Jaguar XJ. No, a Maserati Granturismo in red. Definitely."

He stared at her. "Well, you know a lot about cars then, don't you?" Reyn grinned sheepishly.

"Yeah, I guess. My brother and I bought so many cars, it's ridiculous. And I usually do my own tune-ups. That's the garage," she said pointing to her left hand side.

"What? I thought that was a guesthouse! That can't possibly be your garage." Edward looked a little astonished and Reyn laughed at his expression.

"Yeah, it is! Wanna check out our cars?" He eyed her before smirking widely.

"Sure."

They stood up and dashed over to the garage. They were soaked when she finally punched in the security code and they went in through the large door. Edward gazed at the shining cars in astonishment. She and her brother had at least fifty different cars.

"Is there really a reason in having all these?" he suddenly snapped. Reyn laughed.

"Of course not," she replied. "But what else are we supposed to do with the money we have? It's not like the house needs anymore upgrading."

"True, you two have a very nice house." Reyn grinned. Edward, predictably, walked towards one of the two Lamborghini Reventóns. "Did you know that only-?"

"Twenty of them were made and we own two? Yes, I realize that. Two point sixty-four million dollars is sitting right in front of you," Reyn said, approaching her own car. She stroked the side of her car as she walked by it. Edward stared at the car with glazed eyes.

"It looks like it could fly," he joked. Reyn laughed.

"Yeah, I've only driven it twice so far. Aiden goes out a lot more than I do, so I think he's hitting the double digit mark."

"Well, those cars haven't got much mileage, do they?" Edward asked. She shook her head in response. He rolled his eyes and continued along the line of cars, ranging from custom, street racing cars; classic, rich cars; to muscle cars; racecars; exotic cars; etc. Edward stopped at the Lamborghini Gallardo that was black with a tinge of blue in certain light. Reyn stopped behind him, watching him intently. He eyed the car curiously and he ran his pale fingers across the hood. He abruptly turned his head at her and grinned. It took a moment for her to realize what he was trying to imply without actually saying it. Once it clicked, she sighed before striding over the back wall with a rack of keys hanging. She picked one up near the bottom and chucked it at him.

"Here," she said, going to the passenger door. "If you crash it, you're dead."

He smirked and opened the car doors. Both climbed in and he turned the key into the ignition once he shut the door. The car started with an impressive rumble.

"You might want to put on your seatbelt," Edward advised, staring out at the pouring rain outside. He took his own advice and snapped the seatbelt into place. Reyn eyed him doubtfully but did what she was told. Edward pulled out of the large garage smoothly, while Reyn closed the door with a handheld garage door closer.

He drove up to the gate, one hand on the steering wheel, the other on the clutch. The gate opened slowly; it looked as though he was impatient and he tapped the leather steering wheel anxiously. The second it was open, he floored it. Reyn felt herself fly back into her seat at the velocity while the rain smacked the window loudly. The windshield wipers pumped hard to keep the window clear but it looked as though Edward knew exactly where he was going. He zoomed past other cars, nearly grazing the sides of them. On and on he went through Forks, going in circles for all she knew. She couldn't help but yelp at his crazy driving and grip her seat tightly, her knuckles white as snow. A big rig suddenly surrounded him on his left and five slow cars on his right, in front of him, and behind him. She assumed they were on the interstate now. He growled and Reyn realized what he was about to attempt.

"Edward!" she screamed, just before he jerked to the left and they flew under the load of the big rig. It was a move done in the movies, not in real life!

"Are you insane!" she cried, looking at him pleadingly. He turned to gaze at her, looking confused. _"Watch the road!"_

Edward chuckled and looked in front of him. "Oh c'mon, we're fine. I drive like this everyday."

"Well, then you're _insane_ everyday!" said Reyn, still gripping her seat in fright. She looked at the speedometer.

"Holy Hell, is it necessary to go 177 mph!" she demanded.

"Yes, I don't own a car that can go this fast. This is amazing!" he said with a very glorious grin. Reyn stared at him.

"Oh my god, oh my god, we're gonna die, we're gonna die, we're gonna die!" she hyperventilated, shutting her eyes as everything shot past her window. She could still see the lightning that flashed in the sky through her eyelids though.

"Relax, Reyn. You're completely safe. It's okay."

"Yeah, tell that to me when I'm _dead!"_ she snapped, her eyes still glued shut. She heard him laugh and teasingly, he accelerated more. Reyn whimpered. After a few minutes of silence, minus the squealing of the tires and the horns from the surrounding traffic, Reyn decided to open her eyes again. They were going on an off-ramp that Reyn didn't recognize. She found herself speeding by green scenery, on a deserted two-lane highway, winding through the mountains and forest. She had never seen this back way before in her life. Reyn could barely make out the ocean on Edward's left.

"I don't think is very safe," mumbled Reyn. She noticed they were steadily climbing higher in altitude. "You're going awfully fast for such a small highway… with cliffs, and… _death_."

Edward snorted but still smiled. "I thought you were done complaining." Reyn glared at him.

"I _was_ until you decided to speed through a back way that is bound to be dangerous at these speeds at the current weather!" she cried desperately. He laughed, yet again. Something bright flashed momentarily by them on their left.

"Oh look, it's Alice," said Edward cheerfully, looking around his shoulder. Reyn turned in her seat, sitting on her knees, and looked out the back window. There was a yellow Porsche 911 breaking and swerving around to catch up with them.

Abruptly, Edward's icy hand gripped her arm and sat her down. "Sit!" he snapped, his whole face suddenly unfamiliar. Reyn stared. In two seconds flat, he went from enjoying himself, to looking angry and vaguely terrified.

"Edward…" said Reyn as calmly as she could force herself to be. If Edward was scared of something, it must be bad. "What's wrong?"

"The breaks are jammed and it's getting harder to see," he said coolly, though his face betrayed him. "I'm driving until I slow down."

"Jammed? But I just -"

Before Reyn could finish, a lightning bolt smacked the ground with a resounding _crack!_ just six feet in front of the car. Edward swerved unpredictably and headed straight for the guardrail. He heard Reyn scream beside him. Alice's Porsche rammed into the passenger door, which was now facing the guardrail because the Lamborghini was doing a tailspin. She was trying to prevent the car from flying over. However, all it did was cause the lightweight car to flip through the air, crash into the railing, and fly over the cliff. Like the speed of light and without a second thought, Edward flew out of the door and grasped the railing. The car fell, disappearing into the trees below him and taking her with it.

"_REYN!"_

All he could hear was the pounding rain and the echo of his scream.


	4. Visitors

**Author's Note: Haha as the author of this story, I feel terrible for the terrorizing and pain I put my character through. She didn't do anything to me. haha. Reyn is tough though, she can handle it. Anyways, I don't have much to say for the beginning of this chapter other than please enjoy. This is basically where everything starts to get REAL interesting.**

**I do not own anything from the Twilight Saga. I only claim my OCs and plot line.  
**

Chapter Four: Visitors

"You are _the_ most careless, infuriating, irresponsible person on the face of the planet!" hissed a voice loudly, jarring Reyn awake. "I can't believe she actually let you drive the thing, let alone at high speeds and in heavy rain while in the back country! You could've killed her!"

Reyn knew this voice…and the one that replied in a soft, apologetic quality that reminded her like velvet. She knew that one all too well. "I'm aware of that. I regret all that has occurred yesterday, I swear I do, but how many times do I have to tell you? I wasn't driving the damn thing! It was her recklessness that caused this. However, it will never happen again, I can assure you-"

_My own recklessness…? What the heck is he talking about? I'm so confused… _Reyn thought.

"You're _assurance_ means nothing to me! Look at her," said the other voice again. This voice was not so welcoming or as warm. The male's voice was distressed and angry.

"I've already seen how terrible her condition is, thank you," replied the smoother voice.

"Why didn't _you two_ crash if the road was so slick and she did? If that's the story…."

"Lucky, I guess," replied the velvety voice. "If I didn't make it intact, then who would have been able to call 911? So, it's a good thing I made it-"

"It's a good thing I'm not going to kick your ass-!"

"Will you two shut up? You're going to wake up Reyn!" whispered a smaller yet higher pitched, female voice. Reyn recognized that one vaguely. Her eyes felt heavy, everything seemed to ache, her brain was throbbing insanely, and she was strangely, starving. She felt herself lying down in an uncomfortably stiff bed as her awareness began to broaden.

"I don't believe your story, by the way," said the rough voice harshly.

"That's really not my concern at the moment, so believe whatever you wish," snapped the velvet voice.

Strange images kept flashing through Reyn's mind. The last thing she could fully remember was falling off a cliff into green pine trees, strapped in a car, and ready to die. Just before that, she remembered a yellow Porsche ramming into her door and causing her immense pain and massive snaps of bones. She had smashed her head into the window shield, the seatbelt not exactly working properly, and she blacked out shortly after. She remembered vaguely while she faded in and out of consciousness of being pulled out of the car that was hanging precariously in a tree sixty or so feet above ground and then thrown over someone's shoulder. Something exploded below her not much later. However, she kept seeing odd pictures of two pale figures hunched over her, their icy skin on her arms or the like. They seemed ravenous…for something. Oh, and then she remembered hearing sirens.

"Where the hell is Dr. Cullen with those results?" snapped the rough, anxious voice. Reyn tried to open her eyes but she realized that it caused her already agonizing head to hurt more.

"There's this new thing, it's called patience!" shot the female voice. Reyn wanted to laugh but her lungs strangely burned.

"Don't," warned the other male voice. As if on cue, she heard someone stroll in leisurely.

"Okay, so Miss La Pierre is at least alive, and I'm sure you could pretty much see that by looking at her," said a new smooth, honey voice. "However, she's in bad shape and I'm not sure how well her brain is going to heal from the multiple concussions. Her right collarbone is broken. It was a clean break though so it should heal quickly. She has a moderate concussion in her frontal lobe and the right side of her brain where she smashed into the ground. We are hoping that all it will do is give her pounding headaches for the next few days."

_Yeah, no kidding_, Reyn thought.

"Her right wrist is broken, she fractured most of her fingers and her thigh bone on the left side. In addition, she broke all her ribs and both her lungs had collapsed. The left one filled up with blood, so that might reduce her lung capacity…. We've done surgery to inflate her lungs again and clear out the blood. Her spine is fractured in multiple places but luckily, her spinal cord didn't sever. She may not be able to speak or walk for a while…it depends on her willpower. She also has some various stitches for some of her more severe lacerations too," the doctor finished darkly. "Lucky she jumped out of the car before it went over the cliff otherwise she'd be in worse shape."

_Wait…I didn't jump out of the car… or at least…I don't think I did. No! I didn't because I remember being pulled out._

"Thanks Dr. Cullen, I really appreciate it," said her brother's voice. "Now that _that's_ done, I'm gonna get food. I haven't eaten since yesterday."

She could hear her brother's heavy footsteps leave the room. It went silent after the door closed. Reyn strained to hear for any sign that someone was still in the room but she couldn't tell. It was so quiet. "Edward…that was extremely dangerous. I couldn't bring myself to divulge this to her brother but you know there is a _strong_ possibility that she isn't going to pull through," said the honey voice, sounding highly concerned and almost severe. "I honestly do not know how she is alive _now_."

"Please _don't_ tell me that, Carlisle," said Edward's voice, stiff with uneasiness.

"She's going to be fine. I've seen it…. But she's going to ask questions, right?" whispered the female voice, which Reyn finally realized belonged to Alice. "She's not stupid. She's going to want to know what happened."

There was a very long pause to which Reyn thought they all left, until Edward growled. This, however, was the truest growl she had ever heard and it sounded like it belonged to some vicious animal.

"One human already knows; why let another one know just the same?" he snapped. "Look what good it did anyway."

"Because after everything that happened yesterday afternoon, Reyn deserves to know!" snarled Alice quietly. Someone shifted their feet, but Reyn couldn't be sure who.

"Enough, you two," said Carlisle in a calm voice. "As far as I'm concerned, she is now a big part of Edward's life and I highly advise that you discontinue that for her sake. She's constantly in danger when she's around you, Edward. Her smell is highly intoxicating…. _I_ had a hard time resisting the temptation to feed on her when you brought her in… and I can't believe you two actually _did_."

_Feed…? What…?_

Reyn tried to figure out what they were saying, seeing that it related to what sort of creature they were but it required thinking, and that activity was beyond her at the moment especially since she had a concussion.

"We couldn't help it!" snapped Alice's voice. "But we _stopped_, didn't we? She's still alive!"

"Barely…. We nearly killed her…. I hate to say it, but she _should_ be dead," whispered Edward on Reyn's right. There was another pause before Edward growled yet again and answered to something that no one said. "Don't even think that, Alice."

"Well, she _did_! Have you ever tasted something that delicious before?" she shot defensively. "Good, bad, or indifferent, you know you can't deny it-"

"Enough! Not another word about this. I regret all that has happened," replied Edward, his voice hard with self-anger. "We never should have fed on her, even if she _is_ hard to resist. It was wrong!"

"You can't expect us to behave any other way, Edward," Alice said in a more soothing tone. "She's worse than normal Sirens…and for whatever reason, she doesn't just attract one of us…its _all _of our kind."

"She's right," said Carlisle thoughtfully. "I've never come across someone who smells this appealing to more than one of us."

"I don't think we can even classify her as a Siren," said Alice. "She doesn't even belong in that category."

"Alright, _enough!" _snarled Edward.

This was all way beyond Reyn's comprehension. She didn't understand.

"Look, Eddie…at least we stopped…" said Alice, sounding a bit more submissive.

"She lost a lot of blood because of you two; again, I will reiterate my point, I don't know _how_ she managed to survive," said Carlisle evenly. The three continued to bicker incessantly until Reyn decidedly moaned to get their attention. It took most of her strength to do such a feat but she managed a good three-second long groan. An icy hand was at her cheek instantly.

"Reyn? Can you hear me?" Edward said softly but in a highly concerned tone. The cold of his hand soothed her brain slightly.

"Yeah," replied Reyn, her mouth dry and her voice scratchy. "So…I'm guessing I _didn't_ die."

There was a pause before the three chuckled. "No, you're still as prime as ever," said the doctor on her left. She opened her eyes and wished she hadn't.

White.

Everything and everywhere was white. In that very second of seeing her surroundings, she felt the same innate terror that she had every time she had ever been stuck in a hospital, which was far more than just this time.

Aside from the occasional wipeouts from surfing and skating, London was the reason Reyn would wind up in a secluded room. Beatings…beatings so bad that bones were broken, burns were present, and unimaginable psychological pain were the repercussions.

Reyn closed her eyes and took a deep breath before reopening them to gaze at the three figures surrounding her bed in her private room, pale as ever. And just as perfect. Edward looked absolutely distressed and upset about the events that had passed. Alice looked faintly shaken and worried, yet still smiling slightly and Dr. Cullen had a very blank, handsome face.

"You crashed my car," said Reyn brokenly, turning her eyes to Edward and attempting to glare. It was a feeble effort. He laughed, though…it did not reach his eyes. He still looked extremely troubled. Shockingly though, his eyes were red as blood. Not the whites but the actual irises were red instead of the normal black or tawny color. Strange… because Alice's eyes were like that too.

"I know, I can pay for that," he replied seriously.

"Don't be ridiculous. It's not like we really need another Lamborghini," joked Reyn in a hoarse whisper, trying to shift but tubes were connected to her in every direction and her spine that she nearly snapped in half caused her more pain that she could have imagined. She gasped in agony.

"Stop that!" commanded Edward. Reyn stopped squirming immediately. She glanced at the clock on her nightstand. It was eight forty-six pm. She wondered if it was still the same day as the crash…but then she realized that it wasn't.

There was a silence and Dr. Cullen turned to leave, smiling slightly.

"Wait, Dr. Cullen?" she attempted to call. He paused at the doorway and faced her with his classy smile.

"You can call me Carlisle, since you're becoming a part of this family," he said with a smile. Reyn could tell there was a very slight amount of disapproval in the statement.

"How long will I end up staying here in the hospital?" she asked, Edward's hand still gripping her own. The young doctor thought for a moment.

"I'd say… two weeks and half at best," he replied. Reyn groaned.

"Crap…" she sighed. "What about at worst case scenario?"

"Well, if your wounds don't heal up right, then I'd say anywhere from three weeks to five months."

"I doubt you'll stay for that long, Reyn," said Edward hastily, seeing her mood drop drastically. Alice nodded in agreement.

"Thanks," Reyn said to the doctor. He smiled yet again and left. When he closed the door, she looked at her pale friends.

"Alright, I hope you two have an explanation for this. I heard a lot of what you were saying so I think I need a very good description of what had transpired."

Edward exchanged glances with his sister. "Go ahead," he said quietly as he stood up to get Reyn a glass of water. Alice brought a chair beside Edward.

"Well, I guess I'll tell you what we told everyone else and he'll tell you what really happened…" she began after Reyn had downed the drink. "Basically, you were behind the wheel of your car and we were following you because we were on our way to Seattle but we were taking the back way. The slick roads caused you to lose control, and you also had faulty breaks. You lost control and crashed into the guardrail. Before the car went over the cliff, you jumped out. You slammed your shoulder into the ground, snapping your collarbone… and guess you kept on rolling from the speed or something so that could explain why you're so badly beaten up. We called 911…. The End."

"And the car?" asked Reyn.

"Oh, it blew up once it went over."

Reyn committed that all to memory so in case someone wanted to know what happened, there wouldn't be a credibility gap.

"I don't understand…. If you told everyone that _I_ was the one who crashed the car, why was Aiden blaming Edward for everything then?" inquired Reyn. Edward's eyes narrowed and he smirked darkly.

"He suspects I was the one driving. He doesn't believe you would actually be as reckless as we were saying. He's dead sure that I was behind the wheel of the car…which is true," he laughed bitterly. Reyn rolled her eyes.

"My brother is one of the biggest retards in the world," she growled. "Okay, so what really happened?"

The door reopened before Edward replied but he didn't look like he was going to anyway and Aiden walked in with a cheeseburger, fries, and a coke on a tray. Reyn's eyes immediately went to the food as he spoke to her.

"Reyn! You're awake!" he cried, setting the tray down on a table by the opposite side of the room. "How're you feeling?"

"Eh, yeh know, could be worse," she replied with a weak smile. Aiden laughed lightly but he held a sympathetic and concerned face. This was actually the first time she had seen him anything but super bubbly.

"Jeeze, woman, you gave me a freaking heart attack. When they called me and told me you almost went over a cliff, I nearly died," said Aiden, kissing her lightly on the lips. "Don't ever drive like that again!"

"I'm sorry," said Reyn apologetically. "…I'm going to be staying here for at least two weeks so I don't know if you should stay here the night."

Aiden stared aghast. "Two weeks? Are you sure you don't want me to stay?"

"Nah, I'm fine. Thanks though," assured Reyn.

"Ok…. When I got the call, I was down at La Push. Everyone down there is super worried about you. I think they might come visit you tomorrow," said Aiden, now chewing his cheeseburger.

"Who's _they_?" inquired Reyn, remembering how starved she was when she could smell his food.

"Embry, Quil, Jacob, and Bella I think," said Aiden airily. She saw both Alice and Edward stiffen very slightly at the mention of the last two names. She exchanged sympathetic glances with Alice.

"Oh…kay then."

After much urging, Reyn managed to get Aiden to leave a half hour later. He really wanted to stay but Reyn told him that she didn't need him to stay overnight on her behalf. "Alright, see you later, Reyn."

Aiden shut the door and she let out a groan.

"Ugh, he's annoying."

Edward laughed bitterly. He still hadn't shaken off the grave expression that seemed to be permanent on his face. Alice looked very troubled herself.

"Okay, Alice, how the hell did you manage to find us out there?" asked Reyn after a moment. It took her a few seconds for the question to register in her mind.

"Oh, well…you see, that is…"

"Alice, just tell her," said Edward flatly.

"Well, she's not going to believe me-"

"Look, Alice," said Reyn a little shortly, "I know you guys aren't exactly human. I still haven't quite figured out what you are but I know that you and your family aren't like me…. So, you might as well spill it."

Alice hesitated. "I can…_objectively_… see the future. I saw you both go over the cliff," she whispered. Reyn stared at her in shock. That was the last thing she was expecting to come from her mouth.

"Do _you_ have any…powers?" she asked Edward abruptly.

"I hear people's minds," he replied dully. Reyn went into a major state of shock and her heartbeat began to race. The computer that monitored her heart began beeping faster. Edward laughed at this.

"Except yours."

She sighed with relief. "Well, he couldn't read…_hers_ either," said Alice darkly. Reyn thought for a moment and realized who "her" was. _Bella_.

"It's different, Alice. With…_her_," said Edward, sounding disgusted, "whenever I tried to read it, I received a blank…nothing. It was like her mind didn't even exist…. With Reyn though, I can feel her but for whatever reason, there is this heavy resistance you put on your mind or something. Occasionally, I'll hear random things that are completely ridiculous and meaningless such as, '_I wonder if I'm going to need a thong with these jeans…_' or '_Wow, my butt looks really big.'_"

Reyn blushed, turning maroon. "So…it's like a mental block?" she asked, diverting the subject quickly while Alice giggled.

"In a sense, yes. It really irritates me though. Why do you think I ask what you're thinking all the time? I'm hardly ever used to being denied someone's thoughts," said Edward bitterly. He was still holding her hand lightly in his but it was a comforting feeling to know that they were still there for her.

"Okay, so what really happened?" asked Reyn again.

"Well, what do you remember?" Edward asked.

"Falling over the cliff… among other vague things."

"Well, after the car went over the side, we went down there to get you. The car was upside down in the trees and you were plastered on the window shield. You were mangled and I was afraid that the slightest touch of mine could kill you. I managed to pull you out without hurting you too much. Then Alice blew up the car so there wasn't any evidence that you actually went down with it," he explained. "When we got back to the streets, we called the ambulance and they picked you up. Now you're here."

Reyn exhaled. She thought about all that had transpired. "Wait…there's more than that…because I can remember you two hunching over me or something… and one of you was yelling about stopping something… I remember that."

She watched both Edward's and Alice's face transform into horrified looks. She knew she had them backed into a corner. They had to tell her what they were!

"What are you talking about?" snapped Edward. "Stop talking nonsense."

"Oh, c'mon!" cried Reyn angrily. "Do you honestly think I'm that dumb? I know what I saw so spill!"

Alice and Edward exchanged wary glances.

"We'll talk about it later," said Edward shortly. "Right now, you have visitors."

The door opened on Reyn's right, the others on her left, and three people filed in. Alice and Edward stood up to greet them. And all were impossibly beautiful. Reyn felt her jaw go slack at the sight. She knew that they were Edward and Alice's siblings but all together, you could tell they weren't related but "adopted." Upon their sudden appearance in her room, she analyzed everyone against each other. Alice was very short, like a sprite almost, and her jet black hair was cut into a very similar short cut like Reyn's except, it spiked out more. Reyn thought the beautiful blonde girl might be a few years older than herself. _She_ must be Rosalie. She had long, platinum blonde hair that waved out perfectly. Her eyes were tawny and she had an angelic looking face. She had the body that belonged to those girls you only see on the cover of a Victoria Secret catalog. The blonde guy next to her, was Jasper, she had met him before…once. He had loose, short honey-blonde hair and the same ocher eyes. He was taller than the Edward and the other guy, but leaner as well. The brawny, muscular guy was about the same height as Edward but with curly, short brown hair and yellow-brown eyes, much like a hawk's eyes. Reyn glanced at Edward again. Of course, she knew his angular face, dark eyes, and short, unruly red-brown hair relatively well. He was not quite as tall as Jasper but he wasn't as lean either. Ok, that wasn't true; Edward was thin, sinewy but lacked most of the muscle definition that Jasper did, and certainly Emmett, the curly-haired guy. It was impossible to tell which person was the better-looking one out of the entire group. Each one of them had the perfect airbrush look to them, like they were all computer generated. Reyn figured it was more or less a tie between Edward and Rosalie.

"Hi," said Reyn automatically. Her visitors all smiled. It must have been a family trait not to have a genuine smile because only Emmett's grin actually reached all parts of his face. Reyn had the distinct impression that Rosalie was sizing her up, as if Rosalie speculated that she could be a threat. "Hi," they said in unison.

Emmett nudged Edward in the ribs. "_Cute_," he said wryly at him. Edward shot him a nasty death glare.

"Actually, she's better than cute," said Rosalie in a perfect, soft, and alluring voice, "she's _gorgeous_…even with her head wrapped in bandages."

Her siblings all gave her a blank stare of disbelief. Reyn suddenly realized that Rosalie was probably very vain and she did not normally let others know that they she thought they were pretty, let alone gorgeous.

"Thank you. I would say you're gorgeous yourself…but I don't think it does you any justice," said Reyn. Rosalie grinned and shockingly, it did reach her eyes.

"Ooh, I like her," she said approvingly to Edward. "Can we keep her, Ed?"

Reyn laughed to herself but Edward sort of growled.

"So, if you don't mind my asking," broke in Reyn before Edward could reply, "why are you guys visiting me…? Not that I have a problem with it," she added hastily, "but I don't really know you very well, so yeah…"

Emmett laughed. "Well, Edward's been really _secretive_ about you with us. The only information we get about you is from Alice, who can see the future, by the way, if you didn't know," he said airily. "We thought that this would be a great way to meet you. It's not like you can run away or move very well, so we decided to visit. Besides, we wanted to know if Ed's _girlyfriend_ was dead."

Edward let a guttural snarl out from his lungs and his lips pulled back against his teeth. "She's _not_ my girlfriend," he spat darkly. Reyn exchanged amused glances with Alice.

"Right, right," said Emmett apologetically.

"So did he tell you what we are yet? Alice told us that you would eventually know that we weren't human," said Jasper from the corner of the room. Reyn jumped at his voice, completely forgetting he existed. She couldn't tell if he was smirking or frowning.

"He's as secretive about that as he is with you when it comes to his and my relationship," said Reyn with a smile. Edward snapped his gaze to her, which was very hard and dark.

"Oh, great…" he mumbled. "Now I'm getting it from both sides."

"We're not the ones who put ourselves in a corner," said Rosalie with a short laugh.

"All right, enough of this. If you come to interrogate us, I advise you to leave," Edward snapped. Reyn gasped in shock.

"Wait, no!" she exclaimed. "Who cares what Edward wants, I'm the injured, mangled person here. Stay!"

"Speaking of mangled," said Emmett, looking aside at his irritated brother, "what did you _do_ to her?"

"He crashed my Lamborghini Gallardo," replied Reyn promptly. "I went over the cliff with it."

She had spoken with an air of dignity and pride. She was happy that she survived the crash; it would have been upsetting suddenly to realize that you've barely lived your life just before you died. Rosalie turned an astonished gaze at Edward.

"_What?"_ she cried. "You crashed a perfectly amazing exotic car! What's wrong with you?" She hit him upside the head and he jerked forward slightly.

"Ow," he mumbled, rubbing the spot on the back of his head. Reyn found her company to be very intriguing. Jasper surprisingly did not remain quiet, but began joining in the energetic conversations. Rosalie seemed keen on Reyn, suggesting that when she was out of the hospital, the three girls should go to Port Angeles and shop. Emmett officially challenged Reyn to a tennis match when she was healed. Funny thing was, he meant on the Wii system.

"Alright, Reyn needs to sleep, it's almost eleven o'clock," said Edward finally. "Out, out! You can visit her later if you want."

"Bye Reyn, we'll see you soon, kay?" said Rosalie, waving gracefully to her. Emmett winked and followed her out. Jasper took Alice's hand.

"Sleep well," he said softly. Alice ran to Reyn, kissed her forehead, and bounded out of the room. Reyn turned a sad gaze to Edward, who was picking up his coat.

"What's with the look?" he asked, looking amused.

"Are you leaving me too?" she whimpered. He laughed briefly.

"Yes, I thought you might have wanted privacy… you know, since everything that has happened probably has worn you out too…" he said sympathetically. She gazed sadly at him as he approached the door.

"Did you want me to stay the night?" he sighed. Reyn's eyes suddenly lit up with enthusiasm and he had to laugh a little.

"I hate hospitals. Please stay." He smiled and took up a chair beside her.

"Okay."


	5. Confrontations

**Author's Note: Alright...not much to say I guess for this. Oh! I hadn't originally planned on her being in the hospital for this amount of time but you all are hopefully starting to get a feel for the kind of person Reyn is. Not only that, I'm hoping you're picking up on certain plot points that will eventually be explained like in this chapter and the next. You'll know soon enough! ;) Also, yeah...just because Edward realizes he has some sort of feelings for Reyn doesn't mean shit. kay? It may seem too quick for him to move on or whatever, but remember, it has been about a month and a half since him and Bella broke up. Keep that in mind. Okay..so i guess I did have a lot to say. Enjoy! Review! Bash! Love! Hate! Whatevs!**

**I do not own anything from the Twilight Saga. I only claim my OCs and plot line as my own.**

Chapter Five: Confrontations

Edward stared out the window through the heavy rain while Reyn slept peacefully in her bed, five feet away from him. A number of emotions overwhelmed him. The main one…_guilt_. He very nearly killed her, and she was extremely dear to him, despite what she might think. He leaned his forehead against the glass, his arms crossed, and his face flooded with worry. He was endangering her. He knew that…but he couldn't leave her. Too much time and effort was put into her for him simply to give up. Despite all that he had gone through, regardless of his better judgment…he was slowly _falling_ for her. He couldn't help himself; her bubbly grin always made him feel better. He had no idea if he would fall just as hard as he did with _her_ but he knew that it was inevitable with how much time he spent with Reyn. In a way, he had _wanted _to fall for her so he could spite Bella…but that didn't even come to mind anymore. He only stayed with Reyn now because he cared for her.

He wondered if Reyn secretly was angry with him for injuring her. She _had_ to be mad. If she wasn't, then there was something mentally wrong with her. Then again, Reyn was an odd being. If anyone was the alien, it was her. She was weird…but in a good way. Edward wasn't sure how she would react if he told her that he couldn't be around her for her sake. He wanted to protect her but… he got the feeling that she would go ballistic on him. He sort of laughed to himself.

Reyn shifted restlessly. Edward glanced at the clock. It was nine in the morning; she would probably awake soon.

He waited patiently.

* * *

"_Okay! My turn! You hide, I'll seek," the young Aiden said to the little me. The young me nodded with a grin on her face and once Aiden started counting, she ran for the trees like he had only five minutes before. _

_It was weird to watch an old memory from this standpoint…as a third person. I had had this dream before but I was always stuck in my five-year-old body. They couldn't see me so they didn't notice the sixteen-year-old Reyn, me, standing there…watching intently. It was raining…but we had never cared. Rain was a natural part of our lives at the time… we couldn't help it if we tried._

_The younger me ran and I tailed the child easily. I wanted to laugh at myself while the little me ran like a goofball through the bushes, acting like a ninja and trying to be super covert. I was such a strange kid. When the little me stopped by a tree and sat down to wait for our brother, I analyzed her._

_Little Reyn was obviously hell-bent on being a boy. I laughed. She had on baggy shorts, which revealed skinned knees while she sat, boy skate shoes, and an oversized navy jacket. Her hair was cut so short, just like Aiden's because I had insisted on it being like a boy's at the time. The day I realized my breasts were growing was the day that I understood that I could never be a true boy…. I think that day crushed my heart._

_I sat down next to her while she played with the little flowers that grew around her. She, of course, was destructive so she was tearing them to shreds while she waited for Aiden to come and retrieve the little me. Little Reyn was so enthralled with demolishing the grass around her that she didn't realize that _hours_ had passed by. _

_Little Reyn rose to a stand when she _did_ realize it. "Aiden!" she cried out, cupping her hands around her mouth. "Aiden, you stupid butthead! Come and find me!"_

_While standing, she barely cleared the top of my head. After a few more annoyed shouts, she looked around. "Which way…?" she whispered to herself, looking to her left and then her right._

_That was my queue to stand up and begin following her. She walked through the forest while the rain began to pour down on her. Now, I knew she was obviously wandering further into the forest but she wouldn't have known the distance. Little Reyn began to shiver a little but she acted as if she wasn't freezing her butt off. I couldn't help but shake my head. Even alone, I was stubborn as hell._

_The dream flashed forward…mainly because my memory couldn't recall the monotonous traveling I had surely done. Now I saw the little me waking up from a cold sleep, still wet, still shivering…and still very lost. I wouldn't doubt that I was suffering from a little of hypothermia too._

_The rain wasn't getting any lighter and the little me exhaled with frustration. However, she didn't move from her spot under the large tree. She was too tired to keep traveling. The only thing she did do was put her hood up around her head. I remember thinking that if I stayed put, someone might find me._

_In retrospection, I knew any minute now someone _would _come and rescue me. And sure enough…he appeared from around a tree. His entire figure was in a dense haze. I frowned to myself. I wish my memory would have remembered what he looked like. I owed this man a lot._

_The little me stared blankly at him when he approached her. "Well, what's this? Do my eyes deceive me or is a strange little girl lost in the woods?" the man asked in an unusually soothing voice. The little me regained her speaking ability rather quickly because she was irritated._

"_I'm not a girl!" she shouted, her voice giving her away. The little Reyn wrenched her hood down. "See, my hair is just like a boy's is. I'm a boy!"_

_The man laughed to himself. "Oh, I'm so sorry. My mistake… but what's a young _boy_ doing out here by himself?" he said, playing along with her charade._

"_I'm hiding," she lied, crossing her arms. Man, I had so much pride…even then. "My brother really sucks at hide-and-seek so he hasn't found me yet."_

"_Really now?" said the man, kneeling down in front of little Reyn. She froze. I remember that this man had been very intimidating but for the life of me, I couldn't remember why. Not only that, I could not recall what he looked like…. "Well, how long have you been hiding?"_

"_Two days…" the little me said indifferently. "Told you he sucked."_

_The man laughed lightly. "So, you're not lost?" he asked, knowing very well that she was. Little Reyn glared at him._

"_No!" she spat, angry like a little kid would be. I think the man might have smiled…I couldn't tell. _

"_Okay, then. You can continue hiding. I'll be going now," he replied, rising to a stand. He waved. "Good-bye."_

_He took three deliberately slow steps away from her when her eyes grew wide with fear. "Wait!" she called, standing up in a flash. "Please…don't leave me!"_

_The man paused in mid-stride before turning to the little girl. "So you _are _lost, huh?" he said, pushing her buttons. Little Reyn stuck her tongue out at him._

"_So what if I am!" she snapped. "Can't you just take me home like any good man should?"_

_I think the man was surprised at how _un-cute_ I was. I was a demanding, rude little girl, I knew that. However, I still think there was a grin on the man's face._

"_I guess I can take you home. I think I saw your house a while back. Did you want me to carry you?" he asked, holding out a hand for her. She eyed him cautiously. _

"_I better not. I don't like to be carried," the little me answered, refusing the ride that I very much remember I needed. I had been tired…achy, and very cold. He would have been very nice to nap on._

"_Okay," he said apathetically. "C'mon."_

_The little me followed him. I went with as well. I watched the young me sneak thousands of glances at the man beside her while they walked along in awkward silence. The rain was still heavy when young Reyn finally mustered the courage to speak to him again._

"_Why are you so beautiful?" she scoffed. The guy laughed briefly._

"_A man can't be beautiful…if makes them sound like a woman.… They can only be handsome," he said wisely, looking down at the little girl for a moment. His hands were shoved in his pockets…and he was only wearing a button down and some jeans…. Something about that seemed vaguely familiar to me now._

"_Well, same difference," the little me replied in a strangely dignified manner. "Either way, you probably don't have very many friends."_

_He made a noise of thought after a moment of silence. "Interesting," he said to himself. I had the feeling that he was wondering how friends and perfection related to each other, especially in my young mind. "What makes you think that?"_

_The girl shrugged, her hands in her jacket pockets. "Well, people who are very pretty or…_handsome_…scare a lot of other people away. Daddy said it was called…umm… I forget the word but it starts with an i and-"_

"_Intimidation?" the man offered. The girl smiled brightly._

"_Yeah, that's the word! I told daddy that the kids at school don't really like me or Aiden and daddy told me that they were…in-ti-mi-da-ted..."_

_The little me said the last word very slowly so she would say it right. "He says it's cuz I'm so _beautiful_," she finished, the sound of ultimate disgust in her voice. She snorted indignantly._

_The man noticed her revulsion to the word "beautiful." "I don't understand what's wrong with being beautiful…" he said, very pensive. "Because you're dad is right. You're a very beautiful little girl."_

_I cringed. Looking back, I now feel so guilty for what I was about to do. I watched the younger version of me jump in front of this foggy man, tremendously angry. The man stopped walking and stared down at her while she was beginning to clench her fists, shake with fury, and build up a massive scream._

"_TAKE THAT BACK!" she shrieked. The man was shocked at the outburst of a little kid. I think he realized that this was not a regular temper tantrum of a young child not having their way either. "Say you're sorry!"_

_Frozen from the neck down, the man said he was sorry…in more of a question form than an answer. "I'm not beautiful, okay? I am _not _beautiful! _I'm not beautiful_!" she shouted, tears abruptly streaking her cheeks. She shook with anger while she screamed at him. "You can't say that! I'm not beautiful! No, he didn't say that! Shut up! Only momma says she can be beautiful! Not me! I'm a boy! I'm _not_ beautiful!"_

_The younger me fell to her knees and clapped her hands over her ears. "Stop telling me I'm beautiful! Momma will hit me if someone says I'm beautiful again. I'm not allowed to be. Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!" _

_The man was paralyzed while the little girl screamed for imaginary voices to be quiet in her head. "She'll beat me again if you say that! Momma doesn't like it when you say things like that about me! She doesn't like that!" she sobbed. I watched myself rock back and forth, already emotionally tortured at such a young age. The man knelt down beside her and remained immobile for some time before he abruptly embraced my small figure._

_I remembered very clearly how nice it was to be in this man's arms. He was very compassionate. The older me cried too. I couldn't help myself. The scene was so heart wrenching that I couldn't _not _watch. I owed him a lot…whoever he was._

_For a while, young Reyn was whispering utter nonsense to herself. Apparently, she still could hear the voices in her head hissing the wrong things._

"_Your momma beats you?" he asked very quietly after the girl in his arms stopped talking to herself. Little Reyn nodded under his chin; her hands were still covering her ears._

"_Momma hits me a lot… she doesn't like me," she whimpered, sniffing. Her hands fell away from her ears and they gripped his sleeve. "She chokes me and burns me too…. Daddy doesn't know…. Momma hits me more if I tell daddy or Aiden. Momma scares me…"_

_Little Reyn removed herself from the man's hug and pulled up her super oversized sleeves to show dark purple splotches all across her forearms. The man inhaled very slightly. "Momma says I have to hide them so Daddy doesn't see. She said that daddy will get angry if he sees me with these."_

_I realized that the man felt a little sorry for the younger version of me. Little Reyn still trusted her mother…even though she was getting beat regularly. Vivid memories crossed my mind of those beatings. She was still very naive… _I _was still naïve about everything back then._

"_Are there anymore?" he asked, sitting on the grass and still able to look down at her. Little Reyn nodded again and unzipped her soaked jacket. She threw it on the grass but she didn't have to point out what she was trying to show him._

_I knew the man was astonished at what he saw. Even now, I could remember the constant torment my mother had given me. I never had to do anything wrong to deserve her beatings. Something like not speaking correct English would be a reason enough for a whipping or two. _

_Around the young Reyn's neck were more dark purple bruises but in the shape of fingers. The man touched them lightly with his fingertips and she flinched. She let him examine them a little longer before she lifted up her giant boy shirt to reveal a large burn across her stomach and another big bruise on her side that went around to her lower back._

"_They all go away…it's like they were never there.… I think that's why momma still hits me…because my boo-boos go away."_

"_My god…" the man whispered. He embraced her once more. This time the young me held him tight around his neck, their hug lasting for over three minutes._

_No one had ever cared that much about me other than my dad. But even then…my father left me to live a life of torture. In the end, my father never cared about me. The thought made me cry._

"_Promise you won't tell daddy!" little Reyn said unexpectedly, pulling away again to stare avidly at him. "He can't know! Momma will hit me again."_

_The man hesitated. I think he knew that this was something that he should notify someone about but….he relented. "I promise…"_

_Everything faded into black. My memory failed me again as it flashed forward a few hours. I had forgotten what had transpired so it must have not been entirely important._

_I was following the man's hazy figure and me, the young me holding his hand through my overly large sleeves. I was babbling away about how I liked to be like a boy. I was explaining that it gave me significantly less beatings when I had had long hair. Little Reyn was telling the man that our father had really disapproved of cutting her hair like a boy but he conceded when Little Reyn insisted…and as well as her mother's insistence._

"_Oh!" she gasped abruptly. "I know where we are! I know this tree! I carved my name in it. I'm almost home."_

_The man saw what she was talking about and chuckled. She pulled her stranger along with a grin on her face. We approached the complex. It was the old version…when we moved away, father had it remolded completely so it looked nothing like the big cottage it resembled now. Little Reyn saw her dad and released the man's hand._

_Dad looked like he was frantic and he had been on the phone with the police I'm sure. He had been relieved when he saw me running up to him. I had explained what had happened and he went to thank the man that was standing about ten yards from them. I was still standing next to the foggy shape._

_I remembered this._

_Both of them froze. I remember sitting in my father's arms and how he went completely stiff. There still was a lot of distance between them but neither stepped any further. I still didn't understand why they were so frightened of each other._

_However…after a minute of tense staring…my father smiled at the figure. "Thank you for bringing her home," he said. His voice was so soft; I wasn't sure how the man had exactly heard it from how far away he was. I was the same distance from my father but because this was my dream, my memory, I could hear it quite clearly._

"_It's good to see you again," said the man. "She's very special…"_

"_It is nice to see you as well…" my father had replied, squeezing his daughter tight. The man turned and disappeared into the forest._

_I never saw him again…._

_It all faded into darkness again…. A week after that ordeal, my father announced that we were moving immediately to Hawaii. He didn't give much explanation…but I had this feeling that it had something to do with my encounter with my rescuer. I wonder what that man is doing now. I wish I could have at least thanked him for saving me…and caring about me. I didn't even know his name…and I never told him mine. _

_I didn't even say good-bye…._

_

* * *

_

While Edward waited, he noticed little tears forming around her eyes. He wondered what she was dreaming about that would cause her to cry.

She stirred again before Reyn opened her eyes to find Edward gazing at her with the same, dark red eyes that frightened her. "Good morning," he said warmly, crossing the room to her.

"Good morning…. You know, I half expected you to be gone," Reyn replied, pressing the button on the side to make her bed sit up.

"Nonsense. I said I would stay, so I did," Edward laughed. Reyn half-blushed. "Okay, well… I did go home to change but I came back straight away. That aside, did you sleep well?"

"Actually… I did but I'm hungry. In fact, that's what woke me up," she lied, scratching her arm where a tube was connected to her.

"I can get you food, if you like," he offered.

"No!" she exclaimed loudly. "Er…I mean, please don't go."

Edward gave her an odd expression of amusement and confusion.

"Why don't you like being left alone in hospitals?"

She blinked. Reyn hadn't realized that he would notice her fear so quickly. She abruptly grasped she didn't give Edward enough credit. She wondered if he was reading her mind or not. She somehow… doubted it.

"Well, I always was in the hospitals back in Hawaii. I surfed and I occasionally ate it, bad. I'd be alone all the time and it made me…hate being stuck there. I can't exactly explain it, to be honest."

Edward laughed. He still seemed immensely disturbed at what he had done and it made Reyn sick with worry. She didn't want him to be angry with himself. He was leaning forward with his elbows on his knees and his hands clasped together. He was staring blankly at the bed cover, his chin resting on his hands.

"What's wrong?" she finally asked. His eyes cleared and he looked at her.

"I…it's nothing," he sighed, leaning back into the chair. Reyn frowned.

"There _is_ a reason to why we're in this relationship," she replied. "I want to help you…. You just need to let me in. Besides, you can tell me anything."

He crossed his legs. "Reyn, the situation is more complicated than you can probably comprehend."

"Try me," she spat.

Edward chuckled.

"Fine," he relented. "You've been telling me that I need someone who is better than you. You've been saying that you're tainted…and cruel. But you're not.

"If anyone is the tainted, cruel one, it's me. I've been endangering your life from the very beginning and I do not want to see you dead because my stupidity. I should have never asked you to be with me; I never should have let you so far in my life. It's not fair for you to have to heal my problems when you obviously have issues you need to conquer yourself. I just can't endanger-"

"First of all," cut in Reyn before he had a chance to officially separate himself from her, "cut the crap and get over this."

She had spoken so bluntly that it caught him off guard. "Over what?" he snarled suddenly. Reyn did not back down like she use to.

"Over this whole situation. It's not your fault!" she exclaimed. "You can't help what happens. Okay, so I flew over a cliff in a car, big deal-"

"Big deal, she says flippantly," said Edward to himself, though Reyn heard it.

"But I'm still alive!" she snapped. "Edward, it's a new day. A new beginning. You've got to stop residing in the past; you have to stop living for the future…. You live in the now.

"And right now, we're friends. Right now, I'd do anything to make sure that you're happy-"

"That's what I'm saying!" cried Edward, sitting up now. "I _know _you'd do anything to make me happy and it's going to get you killed! _I'd_ do anything to make you safe, to make sure that you don't nearly _die_ again. My existence is dangerous, Reyn! I can't put you in harm's way anymore."

Reyn had to remember to keep her temper in check because he was only trying to be noble. "Does this have to do with what you are?" she said through clenched teeth.

"Yes."

"Then tell me what you are."

"No," said Edward firmly. "I can't."

"You owe me. You crashed my car and you landed me in the hospital," said Reyn, shooting him a hard glare. "At the very least, you owe me this."

He reciprocated the look. "I owe you nothing," he hissed furiously in spite of what he just said. "As far as I'm concerned, this has nothing to do with you! It's my burden to bear and there is nothing you can do to help me so just back off already!"

Reyn stared blankly at him before she turned her head away, hurt beyond belief. She felt her eyes sting with tears. She couldn't believe he would say things like that. Edward realized that he had made her cry, and he felt his stomach fill with lead. Even though he was trying to prevent her from further injury, he just caused another, despite that it was emotional.

"I just wanted to help…" she choked out, starting to sob. Edward cringed but he reached for her satin cheek.

"Oh, god…Reyn. I didn't mean it like that. I mean… look what I did to you," he said soothingly. She turned her face to look up at him. "I nearly killed you and I just felt like the best thing for you right now was for me to depart from you life for a while."

"The best thing for the both of us is for us to remain friends!" she exclaimed stubbornly, tears welling in her eyes. Her hands gripped his collared shirt in earnest. "You don't know what is best for me right now, Edward!"

He could see the obstinacy in her eyes. She wasn't going to give this one up. She made a promise to him and he realized that she had every intention to keep it to the very end. Did she really care that much about his welfare? Did he mean that much to her?

"I really want you around…" she said quietly while looking away. Edward laughed slightly.

"Trust me, Reyn. It's not like I don't want you around either."

Reyn smiled, her eyes still holding tears.

"Would you quit crying?" snapped Edward. "I hate seeing you like this."

She wiped her face with the back of her hand. "Sorry." They gazed at each other before they shared a brief laugh. Abruptly his eyes snapped up to the door.

"Hey, I'm going to get you food, kay?" he said and left the room so quick that Reyn just had time to stare.

"Um…weird…" she said to herself. Seven minutes later, someone knocked on the door.

"Can we come in?" said a voice. Reyn looked up and almost fell out of the bed.

"Jacob!" she cried. He had his head peeking through the door. He ducked through the door jam and two other of his friends who were just as tall waltzed in too.

"Wow…um hi, Embry…and Quil…" she stopped when the last person filed in.

Bella.

Now Reyn understood why Edward left so quickly.

"Reyn!" she cried, running to her. "You look terrible."

"Thanks," said Reyn sarcastically but with an attempt to smile. She didn't want to be rude to her, even though Reyn really hated Bella now. "You don't look so great yourself."

Bella laughed slightly. She was such a pretty woman. It was a shame that she had a heartless side to her. Reyn adored her pale skin, rose lips, long, brown hair and hazel eyes. Many of the schoolboys liked her. Aiden confided to his sister that he thought Bella was gorgeous, well…other than Alice. That was when they first entered the school the previous year.

"Wow, it really reeks in here," said Quil from the corner. Reyn raised an eyebrow at him.

"That's…putting it nicely…" laughed Embry.

"Yeah, it does stink pretty bad," seconded Jacob with his obnoxious voice.

"I don't smell anything," replied Reyn, sniffing the air. Bella looked at the three Native Americans with a severe yet apprehensive look. They all seemed to share the same thought because the boys' eyes clouded darkly. Reyn was instantly suspicious.

"Were the Cullens in here recently…other than the doctor?" asked Jacob, with a sudden serious look that didn't fit his face. Reyn didn't know if she should lie or not.

"Yeah…Edward was in here a few minutes ago. He went to get me food," she said honestly. Lying wasn't going to get her anywhere.

"I thought so," said Jacob to himself. They all glanced at each other again. Reyn crossed her arms that resulted in her own soreness. However, she had a high threshold for pain so she didn't wince.

"What the hell is going on?" she snapped. "Stop giving each other serious looks that make me want to jump out of the bed and strangle you for."

Bella touched her arm. "Look," she said as gently as she could, "everyone down at La Push…well…is worried about you. Aiden told us you were hanging around Edward recently and-"

"It's really none of your concern," said Reyn, a little more coldly than she had wanted. Bella frowned, exchanging _another_ serious glance with Jacob.

"Actually," she sighed, "it is. I'm worried about you, Reyn. Please don't make the same mistake I did when it comes to the Cullens. They're…dangerous. You can't hang around them…. They aren't… human."

Reyn shot a death glare at Bella and she stopped talking. "I know that. If you came here to try to convince me to not spend my time with Edward, I think you're effort has been officially wasted. He needs me-"

Quil snorted.

"You're kidding right?" he laughed. Embry joined in and both were cracking up at the thought of Edward needing someone. For some strange reason, rage filled Reyn's chest. She thought it might be that they were laughing at Edward's expense and it was her rightful duty to defend him no matter what.

"Get out!" she shrieked, and the two boys ceased laughing immediately. "Get out! If I want to stay with Edward, it's my choice. You left Edward for _him_," she yelled, pointing at Jacob. "If he's better than Edward, it shouldn't bother you if Edward wants to hang around anyone else. He's not your boyfriend anymore! So just, get out! Now! Leave!"

Bella and the others stared in shock at her outburst. "Reyn, please," said Jacob soothingly, reaching for her arm.

"Don't you dare touch me!" Reyn snarled. "Get out!"

Embry and Quil left as quickly as they could but Bella and Jacob still wanted to convince her that the Cullens were very hazardous. Reyn knew this… but she also knew that Bella…was jealous of her closeness to Edward. Bella didn't want anyone else to know the Cullen secret, whatever that may be. Or maybe she wanted to be the only one that Edward could ever trust and love. Reyn didn't entirely know everything that went through Bella's head but she was sure that Bella didn't want another girl in Edward's life. How Reyn knew this was utterly beyond her comprehension.

Tears stung Bella's eyes.

"Edward could kill you, Reyn!" shouted Bella while Jacob held her back from Reyn. "Please! You don't understand. You're at risk when you're around the family and him. Look at you! You're in the hospital _because_ of him!"

"Shut up!" screamed Reyn, clamping her hands on her ears. "He didn't do this to me! Just leave him alone. It isn't Edward's fault! Leave him alone! He can't help what he is."

Jacob pushed Bella out of the room. "No, Bella… she has to learn this the hard way. She's right," he said, glancing harshly back at Reyn, "it's her choice."

The last glimpse Reyn had of Bella was of Bella looking distressed and about to cry. Reyn had beaten her to that state. In her rage, she had sat up; I.V.'s still attached to her, and screaming at the top of her lungs. And while she screamed, she sobbed. Edward deserved a lot more than what people seemed to give him. No one saw the purity in him like Reyn did.

* * *

Edward stopped, sensing the three dogs with _her_. They were talking and she was sniffing…as if she was crying. They were just around the corner and Edward was leaning against it, listening to them.

"Bella, there wasn't anything you could do. She _wants_ to get herself killed. She _wants_ to stay with that leech-" said Jacob's voice in a hard tone. Edward growled softly, the tray of food shaking in his hands.

"Stop that. I know you don't like them but it doesn't mean you should call them that," snapped Bella quietly.

_That doesn't change what he is though_, thought Jacob. Edward calmed himself, despite the urge to tear the dog apart.

_Why the hell would she risk her life for that bloodsucker? What the heck is so great about him anyways? She's absolutely nuts_, thought Embry. Edward knew that they knew he was there but he wasn't going to come out anyway. He didn't feel like dealing with them.

_I know you can hear me, Edward_, said Jacob's thoughts in Edward's head. _You shouldn't let another girl suffer like Bella did. You have to let her go. Reyn is a nice girl. She doesn't deserve the pain from the things like her smell or the Volturi that will no doubt happen. My only hope is you'll let her go…like you did with Bella._

Edward smirked to himself. _Nice try, Jacob_, he thought, _but that's not going to happen…. Not this time._

Once he knew they were far enough away he continued down the hallway to Reyn's secluded room. He opened the door and found her sobbing into her arms, scrunched up in a tight ball, and rocking slightly. He wondered how she did this with a broken collarbone and a fractured spine without causing her massive pain. He put the tray down and approached her.

"Reyn…?" he said quietly. "What's wrong?"

"I'm tired of being told what to do!" she shouted just as her head snapped up to look at him. "I'm tired of people trying to decide what's best for me! I'm perfectly capable of doing it myself."

Edward smiled gently at her. "I know."

That wasn't exactly the reaction she was expecting but Reyn stopped crying. "You ran."

The statement was so blunt…so to the point that Edward didn't know what to say. It was true. He ran from any confrontation. He didn't want to deal with the people he so desperately wanted to avoid. What was so wrong with that? He didn't know but he got the impression that Reyn didn't like the fact that he ran out of the room like that. He guessed it was pretty cowardly.

"I ran because I didn't think I'd be able to keep myself in check if they were around me. It was for their sake…not mine," he replied, setting the tray down in front of her. She attacked the food, which Edward found amusing.

"What do you mean?"

Edward grinned. "I think the moment they would have stepped into the room, one of them would have been dead."

Reyn stared at him. He had said with such a laughing aura about it that she couldn't help but smile. "Nice…" she said with a grin. He stopped smiling when something caught his attention.

_Now…more than ever…I need to stay with him. It's my purpose._ It was a disturbing thought coming from her head. Edward felt special though, in a strange way. She wasn't afraid of him like she should be…but Edward didn't feel nearly as guilty about this as he had before.


	6. 20 Questions

**Author's Note: I pretty much love this chapter. haha and I ask that you guys pay attention in this one too. Plot line points are in this that will eventually be explained in full later. PAY ATTENTION! Anyways, have fun reading! Review, bash, criticize...you know the drill.**

**I do not own anything of the Twilight Saga. I only claim my OCs and plotline as my own.**

Chapter Six: 20 Questions

"Why the hell isn't there anything on?" grumbled Reyn two days later. She was flipping through television channels but all she found was sports, soap operas, or cartoons. Nothing attracted her interest for more than three minutes, other than an infomercial about body cleansing. Edward smiled at her.

"Alice and Rosalie should be here any minute," he replied, staring at the TV screen with soft, amber eyes. "Maybe they can entertain you for more than ten minutes at a time."

Before Reyn could chuck the remote in fury, a nurse came in.

"Alright, Miss La Pierre," she said cheerfully, "I need to redress your wounds."

"I'm fine…" Reyn replied in a monotone. Edward withheld a laugh and continued to watch the college football game on the TV. The nurse ignored her and collected various materials from the cabinets. She began unwrapping Reyn's blood drenched gauze strips when her patient growled.

"I'm telling you…there is nothing to redress," said Reyn. The nurse just laughed and continued to unwind the gauze on Reyn's head, dark with dry blood. Once she did that, she took a soft towel and dumped alcohol over it to disinfect the wound and clean up the dry blood. The nurse began wiping Reyn's forehead when she gasped. Edward looked over in interest. He found what she was so shocked about. There was no wound underneath all the dry blood. It completely vanished! Edward sat up in astonishment and he stared at Reyn. The nurse set about undoing the rest of the gauze and cloth that had plugged up her wounds around the rest of her body.

"Oh…my…god," she whispered after finding each flesh wound had disappeared. She ran out of the room at top speed, yelling, "Dr. Cullen! Dr. Cullen!"

Reyn rolled her eyes. "What?" she asked when she saw Edward gaping at her. "I was born like that. I heal fast…."

"Apparently," Edward said sarcastically. "What are you, some sort of auto-regenerator?"

Reyn grinned. "Sure, I guess."

"And _I'm_ the weird one," he said, more to himself then to her. Still, it wasn't normal that she was able to heal that fast and without any scarring. It wasn't…human.

Edward was about to say something when he realized Carlisle was on his way. He kept his mouth shut and when the doctor came back with the nurse, he looked somewhat amused. Reyn tried not to stare at his handsome features at his smile that his adoptive son shared with him.

"So, what is this about no wounds, Reyn? Are you playing tricks on my nurses?" he teased. Reyn smiled.

"No, honest!" she said innocently. "I didn't mean to frighten her."

Carlisle smiled. The doctor set about examining her. He looked over the places where the wounds should have been but he couldn't even find a scar. He decided to put her in x-rays and other tests. When the pictures came back, all her bones were healed. Even Carlisle was astounded by her sudden good-health.

"Well, you're a medical miracle…" he said, scratching his head in a confused fashion.

"Does that mean I can go home now?" said Reyn hopefully.

"Actually…yes," said Carlisle. "You're free to go."

Edward stood up from his chair. "Reyn, I'll meet you in the waiting area, okay? I need to speak with Carlisle for a minute."

She raised an eyebrow but agreed. Carlisle led his foster son down to his office and he let Edward in first before he shut the door with a quick snap.

"Carlisle, I don't understand," he admitted when the doctor sat down in his leather chair. Edward took a seat in the chair across from the desk.

His father shook his head before he sent his thoughts to his son. _I honestly don't understand either. I've never come across anyone who could heal completely in this short amount of time. Even her broken collarbone, which normally would take months to mend, is healed._

"It's not human."

Carlisle lifted up his tawny eyes at Edward. _I know._

"She heals like the dogs…"

The doctor shook his head again and folded his hands while resting his elbows on the arms of his chair. _No, the werewolves heal in a day or so. Reyn is entirely different…. Plus, she doesn't smell unappealing like werewolves do._

His foster son smirked to himself. "No, in fact she is quite the opposite…" he said darkly. "Still…she isn't one of us but she isn't one of them either. I'm not aware of any other…_creature," _he paused, not sure if that was the correct term to use, "that exists other than us and the wolves."

_I've never been aware of anything else either._

Edward thought back for a moment to a previous conversation he and Reyn had just had. He laughed. "Maybe _she's_ the alien."

Carlisle smiled gently. _Maybe…_ he said. _It's definitely a possibility._

Edward couldn't help but laugh again. "No, I don't think she is. I'm fairly positive that she would have told me upfront. I get the feeling that she has no idea what she is though."

The doctor fell silent for a moment._ Have you noticed anything strange other than her quick healing abilities…? _he asked finally. Edward thought back and went over the last few weeks he had spent with her.

"Other than the fact that her scent is more powerful than anything I've experienced, nothing really comes to mind," he replied pensively. "Well…there are little things here in there…"

_Such as...?_ pursued Carlisle curiously.

Edward sat forward. "She runs…_fast_. Not like us…of course. But…quicker than most humans. I've heard her running on a treadmill and she has it usually on the fastest setting. Reyn is extremely fit…but she eats _a lot. _She hardly does any exercising but when she does, she is usually using higher settings. I'm fairly sure that she uses heavier weights than normal girls do. She's stronger...than most of her age and stature."

Carlisle let the information sit in his head and turn. _….I have no idea what to classify her as. You're almost describing a vampire…but she also smells too appealing to be one._

"She is definitely beautiful enough to be a vampire…" said Edward quietly. Carlisle laughed despite himself.

_Well, I'll do some research on it and let the family know what has just transpired. Don't mention this to her and we need to keep this quiet. Otherwise the Volturi may find out and…_

He stopped but Edward knew what he was getting at. "I can't let that happen. She was already in here because of me," he said rising to a stand. "But I'll keep my silence."

_We'll see you tonight, _sent Carlisle. Edward nodded and left. He walked down the hallway and turned the corner and found Reyn leaning against the wall, dressed in some clothes that Edward had brought the day before for when she would leave the hospital. He hadn't expected it to be this soon but he was glad he had been proactive. She was staring at her feet, whistling a song he didn't recognize.

"Thank you for waiting," he said when he was closer to her. She jumped, unaware that he had snuck up on her like he had. "Ready to go?"

She nodded, a cute grin on her face. "Let's go!"

He followed her out, still thoughtful.

"Whoo!" shouted Reyn, running down the halls of the hospital. "I'm free!"

Edward laughed at her vigor while she jumped up and down, purely happy that she was finally getting out of the hospital. They reached the entrance doors just as Alice and Rosalie were approaching them.

"Hey guys!" called Reyn, running to meet them.

"You're walking!" cried Alice. That was a surprise…Edward had thought Alice would have seen something like this. "What happened to your cast?"

"She healed…weirdly. You can't even tell she was in a car crash last week…" said Edward wryly. Rosalie looked ecstatic but both her and Alice shot Edward very quick looks that demanded an explanation later. Edward nodded slightly.

"Really? Oh, come on, Reyn!" she said, her ocher eyes bright with excitement. "Let's go to Port Angeles. We should celebrate!"

"Tomorrow, I swear. I really just want to go home right now," said Reyn apologetically. "All of us should go tomorrow; bring Jasper and Emmett."

So it was arranged. The next day's weather was supposed to be overcast but no rain and about seventy degrees, the highest it has been all summer. Alice and Rose went home after the agreement while Edward drove Reyn home. He was quiet in the car and drove a lot more careful and slower. That made Reyn laugh. When they arrived at the house, Aiden wasn't home, as usual. He was more than likely down at La Push again.

"Aahh," sighed Reyn, flopping down on her bed. "It's good to be home."

Edward smiled affectionately and lay down next to her. And still he was quiet. He stared at his figure lying next to the girl in the mirror across the room.

"So, did you figure it out yet?" Reyn finally asked after four minutes of tense silence. He looked over at her curiously.

"Figure out what?" he inquired. Reyn sat up on her elbows.

"I dunno, you tell me," she laughed. "You're just thinking awfully hard so I was wondering if you figured it out yet."

Edward chuckled. "I'm not sure, to be honest."

Reyn's sea-blue eyes twinkled. "Well, lemme know when you're done hiding in that brain of yours."

They stared into each other's eyes for a long moment. "I have a confession," he sighed. It looked as though it took him a few minutes to build up courage to say it.

"And what does it concern?"

He hesitated. "What I am…" he sighed. Reyn's eyes lit up. She wondered if he was going to tell her what he was…but he looked so upset by the notion of having to admit to what she had been trying to figure out for weeks. Edward took a breath.

"I'm-"

"Ice cream," broke in Reyn. He stared at her in shock.

"What?" he asked in utter confusion.

"Let's go out for some ice cream," she said, rising up to a stand. "Please."

He raised an eyebrow in mystification. "Don't you want to know what I am?"

Reyn laughed and pulled him off her bed. "Of course I do, silly. I just want you to be ready to tell me…and you really don't seem ready right now."

She knew she was passing up her chance finally to know but all that mattered to her was his happiness so she didn't want to push him in any way.

"I really don't understand you…" sighed Edward while Reyn ate two scoops of Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough by herself. "You've been hounding me to tell you what I am for at least a week and when I'm about to tell you, you suddenly blurt out…_ice cream,_ of all things."

"You can never be upset when you eat ice cream," said Reyn in a wise tone. Edward laughed.

"_You_ are idiotic." Reyn had to laugh at the truth of statement. Hanging out with a being that isn't even human _is_ pretty idiotic.

The weather was okay today. There was only a light drizzle, so that put Reyn in high spirits. There was no one in the ice cream parlor but Reyn and Edward were sitting under an overhang outside. Everything was quiet and still, if you minus the occasional passing car.

"Okay, I'm ready for you to tell me what you are," said Reyn. "Are you?"

"I suppose," he grumbled. Reyn rolled her eyes and then they landed on a napkin next to her.

"I know!" she said. "We can make it fun! Let me guess what you are. Write all kinds of creatures on this napkin, and I'll guess what you are!"

She threw a pen at him from her purse that she rarely carried, which he caught at light speed. "Wow… you are an odd one," said Edward, shaking his head. He wrote furiously for about thirty seconds. When he handed the napkin back to her, she stared. His writing was so beautiful! She looked at the list thoroughly.

_**Werewolf Minotaur Siren**_

_**Centaur Vampire Wizard**_

_**Merman Sphinx Griffin**_

_**Incubus Ghost Demon**_

Reyn laughed. "A male siren," she guessed. He rolled his eyes.

"What makes you think I'm a siren?" he snapped.

"Well, you make women drool! Sirens do that!" she exclaimed. "And they're beautiful too. You could _so _pull off a siren."

He scoffed. "No. Guess again." She looked an incubus. _Eww… I highly doubt he goes around raping women at night…. He's not like that._

Most of the choices were ridiculous, which left her with the demon, werewolf, vampire, and possibly a merman. She thought about each one. Mermen were beautiful but they needed to be around water a lot. That did make sense since it rained everyday here.

"Umm, a merman."

"I wish…but no."

"Dammit!" growled Reyn, looking at the list and crossing off the merman.

She didn't think he could be a demon, his heart was too pure. Demons were heartless and cruel…so he couldn't be that. She wondered if he could be a werewolf and changed during the full moon. That could be likely but she wouldn't want to be around him when it was full moon. _Vampire…_she wondered. Vampires were supposed to be extremely beautiful so they could catch their prey and Edward was just that. However, she hadn't seen him with any sort of fangs like a vampire has. Then again, he doesn't eat around her so maybe he _was_ one, because he drinks blood.

"Smile for me," she said, looking at him. He stiffened slightly but flashed a gorgeous, stunning grin anyway.

_Nope…no fangs _but_ that doesn't mean he isn't a vampire…maybe they only come out when he needs to eat or maybe he uses whatever he can find to kill his prey because the technical definition of a vampire is just that they drink blood. But what about changing into a bat, sleeping in coffins, and being burnt by the sun?_ Reyn's head swam. He _does_ live in a place where sunshine practically doesn't exist! Her heart pounded in her chest. He said he could read minds…. Reyn didn't remember vampires being able to have powers like that but then again… she wasn't that knowledgeable about them. Was he really a vampire? Did he really drink blood to exist?

"Vampire!" she nearly shouted after a few seconds of excitement. He looked away from her frantic, eager eyes to a passing black Ford pick-up. He didn't answer so she knew she was right.

Victory was sweet!

She had so many questions that she wanted to ask him. Reyn couldn't contain her enthusiasm. She bounced up and down eagerly and Edward eyed her curiously.

"Can you transform into a bat?" she blurted out. He laughed ever so slightly and rolled his eyes before looking at her again with an amused look.

"Legend."

Reyn frowned, obviously disillusioned. "Do you sleep in coffins?" she asked.

"I slept with you, didn't I?" he snapped. She had forgotten about that.

"Oh, right," said Reyn, put out.

"But…technically…I don't sleep at all," he confessed.

"Wait…what?" she said, confused.

"_I can't."_

Reyn stared. "You can't sleep!" she cried but she realized that she needed to be much more quiet and she dropped her voice. "No way! That's sweet. Then what do you do at night?"

"I come to lay with you, usually. Then I leave before you wake up," he said honestly. Reyn's stomach went to her feet. She didn't even realize that he had been doing that on a regular basis.

"How long…?" she grumbled, staring into her finished bowl of ice cream.

"How long what?"

"How long have you been sleeping in the same bed as me? When did you start coming to my room at night?" she mumbled, embarrassed and aggravated.

"Since we started this whole arrangement. You're a heavy sleeper," Edward said with a laugh. She was cute when she blushed. "Anymore questions?"

"Hells yes!" she said, snapping back to her eager, overly excited self. "Do you burn when sunlight hits you?"

Edward rolled his eyes and stood up. He picked up her trash and threw it away for her. "Myth," he replied while she followed him to his car. Reyn groaned.

"What kind of vampire _are_ you?" she snapped over the hood of the car. "You _don't_ sleep in coffins, you _don't_ change into a bat, and you _don't_ burn when sunlight hits you…. _What _do_ you do?"_

"Just because I don't burn doesn't mean I can _be_ in the sun, Reyn," he answered in a dark voice, turning the ignition of the car. She slammed the door and stared at him again, waiting for him to continue. "The fact is, I can't be in the sun but it doesn't hurt me either."

"What happens then?"

Edward backed out of the parking space before replying. His expression was a mixture of melancholy and amusement. "It's…hard to explain," he said slowly. "The most basic term would be is that we glow but… that isn't quite right."

Reyn looked out at the passing scenery for a moment. A glowing vampire…interesting. She didn't say anything because she was still stuck on what Edward would look like if he were to "glow."

"What are you thinking?" he asked after five minutes. She turned to him.

"Will you show me?"

Her hopeful eyes were hard to resist. "Sure."

_This all becoming too much déjà vu for my liking_, he thought sadly.

She went silent again while Edward sped through traffic, but not nearly as fast as he usually did. Reyn was contemplating the upcoming event of a lifetime, as if finding out that Edward Cullen and his family are vampires isn't an event in itself.

"Why do people always miss the most crucial point in this topic?" Edward snorted suddenly. Reyn looked at him with confusion.

"What?"

"You haven't asked me about the whole point of being a vampire is yet."

Reyn thought for a moment. "Oh, you mean your diet?" she laughed.

He couldn't believe she was laughing about it. "'Oh,' she says dismissively," he said to himself in disbelief. This girl needed sense slapped into her.

"To be honest, I don't really care-"

"You _should!"_ cried Edward, slamming on the breaks. Reyn flew forward and put her hands up against the dashboard to stop herself. They had stopped on the deserted, paved road that was surrounded by vegetation that lead up to her house. She judged that they had another few miles until they reached her complex.

"How, in God's name, can you not _care_ about that?" he asked furiously, turning his enraged gaze at her. "It's wrong and immoral!"

His tawny eyes were dark with anger and anguish. "It's what you are, Edward," she replied soothingly, a twinge of fear leaping into her throat. "You can't help it."

"So murdering innocent people is just fine in your book?" he snarled.

"No, I didn't say that," snapped Reyn. "You have a reason to; it's how you survive. It's like you're…population control….Murdering innocent people because it's a pastime or because you feel like it is wrong."

Edward gripped the steering wheel tightly, his knuckles very white again. He took a few minutes to compose his self before he spoke again. "We don't drink human blood…."

Reyn looked at his hard expression. "Okay…so, you yelled at me literally for nothing…and now I'm lost. You can't be a vampire if you don't drink blood."

"No, we're vampires. I guess you could call us vegetarian vampires…" he murmured. "We drink animal blood in place of human blood."

Reyn let the statement register.

"Does it taste good?" she asked, genuinely interested.

"Your curiosity scares me," said Edward darkly. He paused. "….It's fine. Human blood always is better but animal blood keeps your everlasting thirst at bay so you can resist the temptation."

As the information sank in. Reyn remembered something. When they agreed for her to help him with getting over Bella, he had said that she smelled delicious. She remembered feeling strangely terrified of this statement too.

"Do I…smell good to you?" she whispered, feeling a bit of that terror now.

He looked at her with ominous eyes and an almost hateful smirk. "_Good_ is putting it lightly…_very_ lightly…."

She whimpered in fright. Edward let a laugh slip through his lips and averted his eyes away from hers so he wouldn't freak her out too much. He let his thoughts drift back to the day of the crash.

"The smell of your blood is…intoxicating…and strangely exhilarating…. _She _was much more floral. That aside, you're blood doesn't just appeal to only me, but it appeals to all vampires equally, unlike how _she _was for me. Her blood was pungent but not for the others in my family. You have a lighter smell too, because it's on the sweeter side, but it's more…potent and stronger than anything that I've encountered.

"In fact, it was one of the worst moves my family could have made by coming to visit you. Jasper is too new to our way of life…I was surprised how well he was able to keep himself together. By pattern, he should have attacked you. However, he didn't and I'm thankful for it…" he paused and said something more to himself than to her. "…Maybe his willpower is stronger than I had guessed…."

Reyn lowered her eyes nervously. Icy fingers caught her chin and snapped her face up while pulling her a bit to her left side. She found herself staring wildly at Edward, who was now quite close to her. "But the taste…is indescribable. It's better than anything Alice and I had ever experienced…."

He was admitting to the incident of him and Alice drinking her blood on the day of the crash. She knew it! She knew that there was something strange about that day!

"How-how did you stop?" she stammered, his cool breath stunning her momentarily. His dark smile faded off his perfect face.

"In all honesty, I couldn't tell you," he replied, releasing her chin and driving again. "By God's grace, I guess….It's amazing that we did stop though."

There was a short period of silence as he started driving towards the house before Reyn spoke up. She looked at his face carefully.

"Should I be scared?"

"What is this, twenty questions?" he laughed. She smiled only slightly; she could still see his hesitancy and the intense hatred towards himself in his eyes.

"Well…should I?" she repeated.

He dropped his smile again. "Any _normal_ person would be…because normal people tend to shy away from us but you…_you_ must be out of you mind," he sighed, glancing sidelong at her. "And _yes_, you should be."

Reyn frowned to herself. "Do you want me to be scared?" she pressed. He scoffed.

"Of course not, Reyn."

She smiled. "Then, I'm not," she replied, relaxing back into her seat. "One more question…what else do vampires have that make them what they are?"

He pulled up to the gate and punched in the pass code so it would open. He made a funny sort of face before answering. "We can move at high speeds…we're abnormally strong. For example, one small clench of my hand could crush a steel bar…. And if we're torn apart…our bodies can reconnect and heal," he said quietly.

Reyn stared. "Wow…" she whispered. "Wait! Can you _die?"_

"I thought you had only one more question," Edward laughed, grinning at her.

"Sorry, now I've got a million more." He chuckled again.

"Vampires can only die if we're torn apart and the pieces are burned. That way our bodies can't heal," he said explained. He turned off the engine and gazed at her with a smile. Reyn smiled back.

"What's strong enough to do that?"

Edward looked out the windshield where little droplets were collecting. "Vampires can kill vampires…and werewolves can too."

Reyn's mouth fell open. "Werewolves exist too?" she cried. "You're joking!"

"No…a lot of Quileute kids are werewolves," said Edward.

Reyn couldn't take all the information that he just told her. Her head spun as she tried to make sense of all. She found that virtually pointless though because it just caused more pain.

"Are you okay?" she heard Edward say somewhere beside her.

"Uh…yes…I think so," she replied, opening the door of the car to let in cool air. "Who…are werewolves?"

Edward climbed out of the car and rocketed around to her car door in a second. Reyn stared, impressed with his speed. "Embry…Quil, Sam, Seth and Leah Clearwater, others…" he said, helping her out.

They strolled up to the porch slowly, Reyn following Edward in a minor state of shock. This was all too surreal….

"Oh, and Jacob," he finished.

Reyn pulled up short. Edward turned to her when he didn't hear her footsteps with an inquiring look.

"_What?"_ she shouted. "Bella left you for a _werewolf!" _

He rolled his eyes. "Way to show sympathy, Reyn…" he replied. She didn't even blink at the statement. "Yes, she did."

Reyn began to seethe; she clenched her fists together and nearly shook with rage. Now she was livid with Bella. Reyn wanted to kill her. "But-but…werewolves have nothing going for them!"

Edward laughed and they continued to walk up to the door. "What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

"Well, at least _you're_ gorgeous and…perfect," she paused when he disagreed with her on being perfect, "and you have powers!" she explained as she opened the door. "Werewolves are basically oversized dogs and they smell! _And_ they're hairy!"

"You really don't have any idea how much they smell," he replied with a smirk. "To each other, the other one reeks like rotting flesh."

Reyn shivered. "That's kinda gross… not gonna lie."

Edward grinned, stunning Reyn in her tracks. He genuinely seemed happy today, despite dropping the bomb of his non-human existence and getting a little angry with her. But it was nice to see him not so worried about all the circumstances surrounding their friendship, now that it was out in the open. He was loosening up a bit.

"All out of questions?" he asked as they climbed the stairs to her room.

Reyn thought for a moment. "No, but I just have one more for now."

"Well, fire away."

She thought about all the questions that were floating in her brain. There were so many to choose from, she couldn't decide quickly. She wondered suddenly…just how old he was.

Edward pushed her door open and headed straight for her leather couch. Reyn sat down on the carpet and looked up at him. "How old are you?" she wondered.

"Seventeen."

Reyn rolled her eyes. "Stop that, you know what I mean."

"I'm 107 years old," he sighed, staring down at her. "So you don't ask, I was turned into a vampire in 1918."

Reyn gazed at the carpet in wonder. She was curious to what it was like to turn into a vampire. She wanted to ask but she said that she only had one more question for the day. That kinda ticked her off but she would stand by her statement.

"Thank you…for telling me," she said finally. Edward smiled.

"Well, I did owe it to you, didn't I?"

Reyn laughed. "Yeah, you did!" she replied. "And you still owe me a Lamborghini, since you _crashed _the other one."

Edward rolled his eyes but smirked at her.


	7. Inevitability

**Author's Note: So, this chapter originally didn't exist but then I felt like I needed a filler chapter just for kicks and giggles. I like the way it turned out because it just...shows the kind of the friendship that these two have, which is really close. Not going to lie, I draw a lot from my own life and friendships and relationships when I write but not entirely. I also forgot to mention that though Reyn doesn't obviously spend anytime in a church, she use to as a child. She also considered herself to be at least a bit religious. Not crazy religious. If I offend anyone with her views, which aren't very often pointed out, I apologize with all the sincerity I have. Anyways, I'm babbling. Please enjoy!**

**I don't own Twilight or anything about it. I only own my OCs and plot line**

Chapter Seven: Inevitability

Since the day he confessed to his existence, Edward was much happier. He was laughing, teasing, and joking with Reyn. And since then, she hadn't asked any more questions on about being a vampire despite wanting to know. She felt this… unexplainable feeling of wanting him to come to her first and Reyn felt like she would be violating his privacy if she kept prying.

That was over two weeks ago. "Can you possibly eat _any _slower…?" he sighed, waiting for her to finish her breakfast. He drummed his fingers on the table impatiently while his other hand was holding up his head.

Reyn eyed him curiously. "What's the rush?" she asked. He didn't answer her but waited with a tad bit of annoyance. "Ohh, I know why you're in a hurry…."

Edward looked a bit surprised and sat up a little more. "You do?"

"Of course," she said flippantly. "It's so _obvious!"_

"It is?" he asked, thoroughly confused. He had been sure that he had been hiding his motivation fairly well.

"You have a hot date with some cute girl! That's a good thing for you, seeing that you always coop yourself up in this house with me. You really should get out more often."

"Oh, haha," he replied sarcastically, rolling his eyes. "You're a comic genius."

Reyn laughed. "I'd like to think so."

"Just hurry up," he growled and she fell silent but there still was a smile on her face as she finished up her chocolate chip pancakes that he had made for her, which were delicious.

"I'm pretty sure I'm going to want more," she teased after a moment.

"Shut up," he spat. She stifled another laugh and continued to eat.

The day after Reyn left the hospital, she and the vampire family, excluding Carlisle and Esme, all went to Seattle instead to walk around and shop. Edward had seemed like he had a great time and that was good for Reyn to see. At least he wasn't depressed. He was changing and Reyn was happy that he was…but there was a feeling in her heart that she couldn't quite place. But the feeling made her very sad.

Once she was finished, Edward threw her dishes in the sink and pulled her outside. "C'mon, there's something I should show you," he said while they crossed the courtyard. He was tugging quite hard and Reyn stumbled to keep up.

"_Alright_, Edward. Sheesh…!"

It wasn't raining today, just overcast. They passed through the main gate of the complex and he took her into the surrounding woods before turning to her. Reyn looked up at him curiously. "Because you're human that means you're _slow," _he teased, causing Reyn to stick out her tongue at him childishly, "so I'm going to carry you."

Before she could vehemently protest against such an action, Edward practically flung her onto his back in a highly ungraceful manner. Then he bolted, moving faster than any animal that walked the planet. The forest trees were a blur while he ran. He didn't even pant or gasp for breath. It was if Reyn wasn't even on him.

At first, she clung tightly onto him with her legs wrapped around his waist and her head against his to keep the rushing wind from making her eyes water. However, after realizing that she would be okay, she couldn't resist the urge to throw her arms up and her head back and scream with delight. While she did, she could feel her body relax and some of the unnecessary stress she was holding leave her.

Edward laughed from below her, still sprinting. "Freak," he chuckled. Reyn hugged him tight.

"You better believe it," she replied next to his ear.

After another few minutes, he slowed and came to a stop. Reyn jumped off him immediately, her hair a mess from the wind. Edward laughed and ruffled her hair.

She looked around her. They were high up in the mountains where the vegetation was even thicker. It was colder too and Reyn was thankful she had on warm clothes. "Where are we?" she asked. Edward smiled.

"Don't worry about that. C'mon," he said, pulling on her hand. "Follow me."

After a minute climbing through the trees and its roots and rocks, he stopped. Reyn looked up and saw a shaft of sunlight shining through the treetops. Edward released her hand and went toward the light.

She realized his intent. He pulled off his jacket and hung it on a low tree branch next to her. From behind, Reyn could tell he was messing with his button-down. He leapt lithely onto the large boulder into the ray of sunlight and paused before turning to face her.

Reyn's breath caught in her throat.

He didn't necessarily glow…well, he _did _but he didn't. First, he was more like a diamond in the sun, like how they sparkle and refract light a certain way. His skin did that. Then, it did actually glow too but she couldn't begin to explain that phenomenon. It was like he was radiating his own light and aura…and it made him all the more beautiful, if that was possible.

He was like an angel from Heaven.

However, that wasn't the only thing that caught her attention. His unbuttoned shirt revealed a lean, muscled torso…. An Abercrombie and Fitch model might have resembled his body but he far exceeded it because he was much more gorgeous.

"Uh…" she said lamely. "Wow."

He chuckled. "Behold the face of a monster…."

Reyn repressed a hard glare. "Don't say that," she snapped. "Otherwise, I'll have Emmett and Jasper hold you down while Alice beats you up for me."

She went to him and he pulled her up onto the boulder easily. She stared for a moment at his chest, refracting a rainbow of color before she looked up at his golden eyes. "Can I touch you…?"

He snorted but smiled very gently at her. "I guess," he replied, his left eyebrow raised in amusement.

Reyn reached to touch his face but recoiled in second thought. He laughed briefly at her reaction and took her hand in his. He placed it on his cheek, not removing his own hand. "I'm fairly sure that I only _look _like a freak," he said with a teasing tone. She chuckled. He was right. He didn't feel any different from the hard, cold skin he had always had. It was somewhat of a disappointment but she wasn't dampened by it.

"You're beautiful…not a freak," she replied, lifting her eyes up to his. He immediately turned away, apparently embarrassed.

Edward jumped off the rock, out of the sun and laughed. He buttoned his shirt again and turned to face her. "_You're_ ridiculous…" he said, holding his hands out to her and rolling his eyes. He seemed to be doing that a lot lately. "I would hardly think that it was beauty but…you're only human. It's all you'll see."

Reyn decided not to reply when he helped her off the rock. Not that she needed it; he just wanted to be the gentleman he was. However, her comment could not be kept down.

"Then what is beauty to you?" she asked after pulling away from him. Edward's back was facing her when he stopped walking and looked at her wryly.

"Many things are beautiful, Reyn," he replied simply. "Such as a red rose that's blooming…or a sunset across the Hawaiian seas…."

She smiled and shook her head. "I meant human beauty."

He was thoughtful. "What I think is beautiful shouldn't matter to you…."

Reyn understood why he was dodging the question. He thought Bella was beautiful but he didn't want to admit to that or talk about it. She didn't blame him though. She thought Bella was beautiful too, in a very "Girl Next Door" sort of way. If Bella was just a few inches taller, she would have some serious potential as a supermodel.

"Fine, don't answer my question then," Reyn sighed, leaning up against one of the smaller boulders while folding her arms. He smirked.

"I think you're beautiful…" he replied, standing about three yards from her. Reyn's jaw went slack but it didn't drop open. That was _not_ something she was expecting to hear…at least from him. She had heard it so many times from fans and friends and even from Aiden. But hearing it from Edward's mouth was an entirely other story. It held much more weight to it because he was always surrounded by beautiful people so what he thought was beautiful had much more credibility.

Reyn's throat was dry. "Thanks?" she said…more as a question than a statement. She had no idea what to say. Edward smirked.

"Anyway, I had promised to show you how I look under the sun so I brought you here. I figured there would be sunlight up here so I decided today was the day," he explained, diverting the subject away for her sake.

Reyn smiled appreciatively at him. "Thank you."

He returned the look while adjusting his shirt again. "Actually, I have something for you as well," he said with a wry grin. She wrinkled her eyebrows in irritation. She did _not_ like gifts. "It's for this."

He touched the cross he still had around his neck. Reyn watched him pull out a small box from his jacket that still hung on the tree and make his way over to her at the boulder. The box was made of navy blue velvet and she instantly recognized it as a jewelry box.

"No, Edward," she said firmly. "I can't accept that."

He frowned. "You haven't even seen it yet!" he protested, his eyes revealing some hurt. Her hard gaze softened dramatically. She could hardly resist the sad look on his face.

Edward opened the top and she saw her cross. It was simple, like the way she liked things. It was silver in color but knowing him, he bought it in either white gold or platinum, and right where the two lines met, was a small diamond. The entire cross was only slightly smaller than half her thumb.

Reyn pushed it away from her while holding another strong gaze at him. "I can't," she said shortly. He narrowed his eyes and sighed.

"You can," he said, pulling out the necklace delicately. "And you will."

She couldn't object anymore than she had without being extremely rude so Reyn let him slip the necklace around her neck and clasp it after she removed her white scarf. "Edward, you shouldn't have bought-"

"Blah blah blah…" he said with a laugh. "I know but I wanted to. Fair enough? Here, turn around so I can see it."

Reyn turned to face him. Her cross sat perfectly against her chest, neither too high nor too low. She was wearing a simple, black, long-sleeve v-neck so it looked nice with it. When he smiled, she hit him in the chest.

"Ugh, what am I going to do with you?" she grumbled. Despite her irritation, she still was smiling and she thanked him.

"Quit thanking me, Reyn…it was the least I could do."

Edward seemed to be going softer these days. Reyn couldn't quite put her finger on it but she knew he was obviously changing. In a selfish sort of way…it upset her. She had promised to stay alongside him until he was recovered from his "love injury" that was inflicted by Bella but he seemed so happy. It was inevitable that they weren't going to remain together though and she knew that. Reyn tried to remain optimistic and rationalize that they're great friends so they'd see each other a lot but she was a realistic optimist. Their days where they were joined at the hip were numbered.

But not only that, it was also inevitable at some point that he was going to want to go travel or go to college. College started when the summer ended and autumn was fast approaching. Reyn had originally planned to fly back to Australia to jumpstart her surfing career again and eventually go to college…but that was before Edward. Now…she wasn't entirely sure what she wanted to do.

They began walking around the mountainside together through the heavy vegetation. Those thoughts wandered through her head in their peaceful silence….

"Honestly Reyn," Edward said after a long time, "if you think _too_ hard, your brain is inevitably going to explode."

She chuckled, hands in her jeans pockets while they picked their way through the trees. _Inevitably…_she thought sadly. "What are you going to do after the summer ends, Edward? Shouldn't you be getting ready to leave for college?"

Edward let out a small bark of a laugh. "Idiot…" he chuckled. "I'm a _vampire_. I've been to college six times."

Reyn had completely forgotten. How could have she let _that _slip her mind? Her heart swelled with joy knowing that he wasn't planning on leaving soon so that was one less thing she had to worry about.

However, that didn't change the fact that once he was over Bella, he would leave…or at least stop being with Reyn all the time.

"And what of you?" he said, glancing at her. "You definitely need to go to college, seeing that you are _not_ a vampire."

Reyn bit her lip, something she recently picked up. "I'm…I'm not going to college…. At least, not yet. In fact, I'm undecided on what I'm going to do once our arrangement is over."

"You have to go to college, Reyn. I'll go with you, if you'd like," Edward offered. Reyn turned her head to gaze at him. He wasn't lying; she could see that in his ocher eyes. The thought of going to college with him made her excited but the colleges she wanted to attend were smothered in the sun… he wouldn't be able to be outside at all.

She snorted. "No, that's ridiculous."

Edward smiled gently at her; the disappointed look in his eyes was very clear.

The foliage was beginning to get damp as the climbed slowly downward towards the base of the mountain. Reyn was having a little bit of a hard time staying upright while Edward was showing off his abilities of being a vampire by leaping through trees and the like.

"That's unfair!" Reyn shouted after him when he soared onto the tree a few yards ahead of her. She stumbled over a tree root protruding from the ground and steadied herself with her hand on the trunk. Normally, she wasn't so klutzy but because she was so distracted with him, she wasn't devoting her attention to the task of climbing through the forest.

"I think it's very fair, actually," he replied, smirking down at her. He balanced on the tree easily while squatting.

"No, it's not-!"

She was cut off when she took a step forward and slipped on the wet grass where it was steeper than most of the surrounding area. Reyn's feet flew out from under her and she fell flat on her butt, sliding twelve feet down the mountain…before hitting a tree trunk with her head. Her legs were around the trunk while her hands were grasping the bark lightly.

She was motionless.

"Reyn!" Edward cried in alarm, jumping down from the tree branch. He landed firmly on his feet, his slick soles allowing him to slide down the grass easily. She was now shaking, her head still against the tree,

"Reyn?" he said urgently, approaching her. He gently pulled her back to see her face. He froze in astonishment.

She was laughing, of all things. First, it was the silent laugh but then she found her voice and was cracking up to no end. Smack in the middle of her forehead was a deep red mark about the size of his pointer finger.

Reyn was laughing so hard that she fell back on the grass, clutching her stomach while tears streaked her face. Edward could only stare for a long moment before he felt a smile creep over his face. Before long, he felt himself joining in with a couple of his own chuckles.

"Oh, god!" she gasped, her fits of giggles subsiding. "Wow…I don't know _why_ that was funny but it was."

Edward took her hand and pulled her off the wet grass. "You are officially the most idiotic person on the planet," he replied, still grinning. Reyn wiped the tears away carefully so as not to smear the minimal eyeliner she wore.

"Probably," she said, before bursting into another laughing spout.

Once she was finished, Edward insisted on inspecting her head. A large bump was forming where she slammed her forehead into the tree and now it was beginning to turn a dark shade of purple.

"You idiot!" he said exasperated. "How hard did you hit your head!"

She shrugged. "I'm fine," she assured him…without much luck. "Well, I _do_ have a headache but other than that, I'm _fine_."

Edward rolled his eyes. "I can't trust you to walk on your own two feet anymore," he said. For the next ten minutes, he argued with her about forcing Reyn to climb onto his back while he walked. Eventually, Reyn conceded to his wishes… very grudgingly.

"This is so unnecessary," she whined into his ear. "I'm perfectly capable of walking myself."

"Oh, I know you're _capable _but whether you're _proficient_ in the art of walking is quite a different story."

Reyn snorted. "Shut up!" she cried, laughing at the same time.

Being this close to him, clinging to his back made her heart…flutter. Just like him leaving was inevitable…the blossoming feelings she had for him was also just as unavoidable. Somehow, she expected this to happen. Even if he wasn't human, she still loved him…more than anything or anyone. The only thing she wanted for him was for him to be happy…with whomever he's with…even if it wasn't her.

Edward was just so different from any other guy she had ever met. No, Edward should not even be classified as a "guy." He was the epitome of a man and unlike the guys she knew, Edward was classy, mysterious, witty, charming, old-fashioned…and yet strangely fun. He was respectful…honorable…and sweet.

When she had told her previous boyfriends she loved them, Reyn never realized at the time that she was only spewing out empty words. She didn't know what love meant back then. Reyn knew now but even still, she couldn't explain the alien feeling that kept erupting in her body every time she saw him or the compassion she held for him. The only thing she _could _say about love is that it was unconditional and no matter what Edward did…give and take a few things…he couldn't make her _not_ love him.

If she were to say those three words to him…they wouldn't be empty.

"What are we thinking about back there?" Edward asked, breaking through her thoughts. Reyn smiled to herself.

"I was merely enjoying your company. I really had no thought processing going on," she lied but he believed her because he agreed.

It was silent. There was a small breeze and it kicked up the scent of greenery. There were birds calling out distantly to one another. Edward walked along, his arms holding her up while she rested her chin on his shoulder. Reyn decided to bring up the topic of discussion that Edward probably was still relatively hesitant about.

"Does it hurt…to change into a vampire?" she asked quietly. He didn't answer immediately.

"Very much so," he replied, just as quiet as her. "It's a three day process… and it's so excruciating that you're writhing in agony while screaming at the top of your lungs for mercy. You want to die. You _want_ your existence to vanish. The pain is too unbearable and then… you get your wish. You die…and yet you're alive."

Reyn thought about that. Maybe if there was something to live for in becoming a vampire, then enduring the pain might not be so bad. That made her wonder if he had known about vampires and asked to become one.

"Did you wanna become a vampire…? Did you have a choice?" she asked.

"My choice was to die…or live in a dead existence," he replied softly. "In the early 1900s, the Spanish influenza was wreaking havoc across America…. My mother and I were one of its many victims. It claimed her life…and very nearly claimed mine."

He stopped when she held him tighter. A life without Edward seemed impossible, at least to Reyn's mindset now. A _world _without him was no world at all.

Edward leapt onto a boulder and then onto a sturdy tree branch. "Hold on," he warned before scaling the giant tree.

As he climbed, the sun was visible more and more. She began to see the entire mountainside…full of trees exactly like the one Edward was ascending. They were lush…and the color of deep green went on as far as the eye could see. Her breath stopped at the sight.

Edward lowered her onto a strong branch near the top. Reyn clutched a branch above her to steady herself…but being this high nearly terrified her. "Wow," she breathed, looking around her. "It's beautiful."

He agreed. Edward was sparkling again and though he outshined the sight of everything around her, she didn't find it all that distracting. "Who changed you, Edward?" Reyn asked, swinging her leg that was dangling off the branch. Edward readjusted himself so he could sit near her before answering.

"Carlisle…" he said, looking up at the sky. "He was my doctor…he had no one. Since I was dying, he decided to save me…and make me his son."

Reyn watched his face stare off into old memories. "Carlisle means well in everything he does but I was still…not quite happy. I was content with my life, save a few things, but I wasn't…_happy. _

"When we found Rosalie dying, Carlisle had thought that she would be my mate," he continued, smiling wryly to himself. "As you can see, not so. She was, and still is to this day, narcissistic. I couldn't handle her constantly bragging to herself in her own mind about how beautiful she was and she couldn't stand me for the mere fact that I _didn't_ swoon over her beauty. She joined our little coven but she and I never got along. It's still a little strained at times.

"Esme was the next to be changed. She had jumped off a cliff and fatally injured herself. Carlisle bit her to save her and they fell in love…. I'm glad Carlisle had found someone to fill a small void in his heart…. Shortly after that, Rosalie found Emmett.

"I guess he was hunting and was mauled by a bear. Rosalie asked Carlisle to change him for her and…they fell in love…. Well," he stopped.

Reyn laughed. "Can I say something?" she asked, standing on the branch and looking down at him. "And you better not repeat this!"

He chuckled. "Okay, I won't."

"Their relationship doesn't seem to be at the emotional level…. It seems much more …_physical_," she admitted, smiling sheepishly. Edward laughed briefly before springing up to sit on the higher branch above him.

"You have _no _idea how true that statement is…" he replied. "Their sex has literally destroyed houses."

Reyn gaped. "Um… I'm not sure if I should be disgusted or shocked…"

"I'd go with the disgusted…" he replied. Both laughed again before falling silent in thought.

"Rosalie would give up anything to be human again…even Emmett," Edward whispered, leaning against the trunk. Reyn gazed up at him sadly. "Alice came to us as a vampire…for a while we didn't know how she came to being but James cleared that up last year."

"James?" Reyn said puzzled. "Who's that?"

"I'll get to that in a minute," he assured her. "Alice left for a while because she had a vision about finding Jasper. He had just given up on the vampire war life when Alice came back with him."

Reyn lifted herself up onto the same bough as him and sat facing him, both legs on either side. "Do you have to be dying to be turned into a vampire?"

He smiled and moved closer to her. "Of course not," he replied, balancing on the balls on his feet. He pushed her bangs aside and inspected her forehead as he continued on. "That's just Carlisle's way. He would never turn you if you had an alternate option. Besides, Jasper and Alice weren't dying when they turned.

"In the south during the late 1800s, vampire feuds were quite common…and were big ones at that. Jasper was changed merely for the purpose of war. Aside from Carlisle, he's the only one who is older than me. However, he's the one who has the hardest time resisting human blood because he fed on it for years. Carlisle and I are the tamest of our coven...and maybe even Rosalie.

"Now, before I explain Alice's past, I should tell you a little of what had recently passed between me and her," he said, pausing to think. Reyn noticed that he did not enunciate "her" nearly as much when he was referring to Bella like he use to. That was a very good sign that he was healing.

"Most vampires do not live like we do. Most are nomadic and they feed off humans. They usually roam alone or have one other vampire with them, usually their mate. Three in a coven is rare…and we are rarer because we're so large. When I was with my ex-girlfriend, we ran into three such types of vampires. The leader was James and he had a mate, Victoria. Accompanied by them was a man named Laurent. James was a tracker and the hunt was his life. He wanted _her_…bad. We got her back to Phoenix, where she used to live but James trapped her there anyway.

"He almost killed her and she almost changed into one of us but I was able to drain her blood dry of the venom," he explained. "James had been making a tape of what he was doing to my ex-girlfriend and in it…James filled in the gaps of Alice's life before she changed into what she is.

"James had said that Alice was the only other human ever to escape him. She had been with another vampire apparently and he had bitten her, causing her to change. When James finally came back for her once he killed the other vampire, Alice's transformation was nearly finished. That obviously did nothing for James and he left her. When she came to, she had no recollection of what had happened."

Edward breathed in deeply. "And that's the story of the Cullen family…or at least most of it," he finished.

Reyn was scratching off the brown bark with her fingernails, revealing green flesh under it. "You guys disappeared from Forks for a little while. Where did you guys go?"

Edward's face darkened a shade. "On _her_ 18th birthday, she had come to our house to celebrate. She had opened a present and gave herself a paper cut. Because it's difficult to resist, Jasper immediately attacked her. I had jumped in his path and she fell over onto some plates. She sliced open her arm badly…

"You can imagine how chaotic it must have been. Jasper was guilt-ridden…he felt terrible. We all decided to leave town…it was the best for _her_. So… I broke up with her…saying she was bad for me and that it caused me too much pain to be with her…blah blah blah…"

He sighed. "During the months that I was away, she began to rebound to Jacob but I couldn't take being away from her for so long and I came back. She accepted me back into her life but after a few months, she realized that she just didn't feel the same connection anymore…. She wanted her best friend….

"She broke up with me in the meadow…the same one you found me in. And well, you know where the rest goes…" he said, smiling wryly at her.

Reyn grinned. "Yeah, I do."

Eventually, this blissful day-by-day life would come to a harsh end. Reyn understood that but it still burned her throat with sorrow. Reyn would grow old…he would not. One day…she would die…and he will not. He would stay seventeen for eternity. How upsetting it was to watch the world die around you to be reborn again…only to die…again. Was that even a life?

Only if you had someone else to live it with. Edward, however, could possibly remain mate-less for the rest of his life. That was a depressing thought.

Ultimately, they would have to part ways.


	8. Separation

**Author's Note: Ah...this chapter just shows more and more of our dearest Reyn. She always did seem a little too optimistic right? haha just kidding, you'll understand. I am very cruel to her but I made her emotionally sound...for the most part. We also see more of Edward's feelings for her pop up a little. He doesn't like to admit even to himself that he is falling for her. But who can resist! That aside, they're like best friends and spend a lot of time together because of Edward's stupid little arrangement...so it was bound to happen. Anyways, enjoy!**

**I do not own anything from Twilight. Just my OCs and plotline  
**

Chapter Eight: Separation

_There was no setting. Just me, him, darkness, a white floor, and _her. _But this wasn't the _her _Edward talked about and that I protected him from. This was _my_ her_.

_This was my worst nightmare…_

_I stared wildly at him, tears streaking my face. My eyes burned intensely with those tears and I couldn't speak because I was so much in shock. Treachery! How can he possibly betray me like this? Me…of all the people he could betray in the world…he betrayed _me._ I had been there for him…I always had been there for him. I didn't understand. I fell to my knees, sobbing uncontrollably and my heart aching with unimaginable emotional pain._

"_Edward! Please," I gasped through my hyperventilating, "please! Don't do this. Don't go with her."_

_He smiled gently…which only made it all more painful. "I have to Reyn. She's better than you…and I love her," he replied. Those three words caused agony in every fiber of my body and I very nearly lost my sanity. That was the feeling I wanted him to direct at me. Edward put his arm around the woman's waist. She stepped closer to Edward, holding him and smiling adoringly…while coveting his very existence. I choked back my boiling rage when the woman smiled at me with the darkest smile the world had ever seen. Beautiful as she was…she was no angel. _

_She was the Devil's whore…._

"_I beat you…" she whispered, brushing her long platinum blonde hair from her face, while Edward's lips were tracing her cheek_. "Again_…"_

_I let out a scream of frustration. "No!" I cried stubbornly though terrified of the woman's notoriously unstable temper. "No, I didn't lose. Not yet!"_

"_Ever the optimistic…. You _always_ lose, Reyn," the woman replied threateningly. She smiled affectionately up at Edward when he pulled her even closer, as if she was now the only thing that existed in his world. Edward kissed her red lips passionately and the blonde responded so fiercely that I couldn't breathe…I couldn't move. I'm sure that I had just died. When they pulled away, the all too familiar woman smirked at me._

_I couldn't keep eye contact for the life of me._

_She walked over to me, her saunter so graceful it made me sick to my stomach. All I could do was sit at her feet, like a slave in front of her master. I stared at the floor in front of me as the gap between us closed. I was immobile. I truly _had_ lost the game again. She was right. When have I ever beaten her at her own game? Why did I think that I had a chance? Fear of what she might do to me set in my heart with every step she took towards me but it did not give me the desire to retaliate. She had won something I had once thought as my own._

_How wrong I was to think that Edward was mine…and mine alone._

_The woman stopped two feet in front of me and I did not raise my head to look at her. It did not surprise me to find my whole body flying back with the force of a perfectly placed kick under my chin from her right foot. I vaguely noticed the sharp throb of pain. I fell onto my back, almost gasping for breath while staring up into nothing but blackness until her head came into view. She gripped my shirt and pulled me up a little but I refused to look into those ice blue eyes that held only my demise. _

_Instead, I looked to the one thing I thought would protect me but I knew he wouldn't now. Edward was a few yards away, smiling serenely. He stood there…not coming to my aid._

"_I'm sorry, Reyn…" he said with a shrug of his shoulders._

_I wish he wouldn't have done that. It would have been easier to accept his treachery if he had been yelling at me or something along that line. Tears burned my eyes again before I felt my head explode into another burst of pain. _

_The woman had punched me. It hurt but I did not fight back. _

_I never did…._

"_Edward's mine now…you _lost_," she hissed at me. "He will _always_ remain mine…"_

_I shut my eyes while it echoed on for eternity. _Mine…

* * *

"NO!" shrieked Reyn, bolting upright in her bed. She was in a cold sweat and her body was trembling violently. For a full five minutes she stared out the balcony doors, motionless…save for the shaking.

Those words kept echoing in her head. _You lost…he's mine…_ over and over and over until her head swam with rage and agony. Her hands clenched the bedspread tight while she still shivered from a nonexistent cold. _I beat you…_again_._

Edward wasn't here tonight and she knew that. He was out hunting to stay strong. Why now…why now of all times did she dream of _her…_? Was it because Edward wasn't with her? Or was her own mind trying to tell her something?

Aero leapt onto the bed to comfort Reyn. He licked her face soothingly before lying down next to her. Reyn sighed and stroked Aero's head for a while. The nice thing about Aero was that he could sense anything that was wrong so whenever Reyn was upset, he would comfort her.

"Am I going to lose Edward too?" she whispered to him, bringing her legs in and hugging them. She had stopped shaking but she still was sweating from the nightmare. "Is she going to take him away…like everyone else?"

Reyn wasn't ready to accept that yet.

* * *

Edward pulled open the balcony door that Reyn had left unlocked for him and snuck through it silently. It was only 3:45 in the morning. She had fallen asleep early today…around 10:30. When he turned to the bed, he saw Aero resting beside her, his head on Reyn's stomach while her arm was around him.

Her face was scrunched into that of someone in deep concentration. Edward almost laughed but remained silent while he went to her couch. His mind wandered over to his little hunting trip with Carlisle as he collapsed into the cushions.

While they were running to find some decent food to hunt, Carlisle had brought up a question that Edward wasn't willing to approach alone.

"Edward?" Carlisle had said with an air of caution. Edward felt a few leaves brush by his face softly while they ran before he answered his father.

"Yes?" he replied knowing exactly what he wanted to talk about.

When the unpleasant smell of deer wafted over them, they skidded to a stop. Edward looked at Carlisle expectantly. _Do you love her? Do you love Reyn…?_

He had thought the statement… which Edward could hear in his mind. Edward looked away from Carlisle's face and at a tree behind him. "Is that really something we should be exploring at the moment?" Edward replied, the slightest of an edge in his voice though he was smirking. Carlisle chuckled lightly.

_Yes, I believe so…but I think the question I should have posed was if you're willing to _tell_ her you do, _said his father through his thoughts.

"I can't," said Edward flatly.

_Why…? Is it because of…_her?

Carlisle was careful so as not to mention Bella's name. Edward sighed. "Yes," he admitted. "I'm still not completely over Bella," which caught Carlisle by surprise, "but I won't deny the connection to Reyn. She's a good girl that doesn't need someone like me to keep her back…. I know she'll hate me for this but I have to end the arrangement we created. It's keeping her here when she could accomplish great things elsewhere."

Carlisle placed a hand on his shoulder. _Edward, I know you well. I can see that you would not want to put yourself in that kind of position. It's not something you want…. I am not you, and I do not read minds so I cannot fathom that complexity of the situation between you and her…but you are right not to deny that you have some sort of feelings for Reyn. _

Edward exhaled heavily again. "These feelings are a little more rightly justified. With Bella, I inadvertently fell for her for no rhyme or reason. The attraction was because I couldn't hear what she thought. That bothered me…and it sucked me in to her. It's different with Reyn. My love for her is based off the friendship we created first," he explained, running a hand through his hair. He couldn't understand why he was getting frustrated.

_Then why don't you tell her that? She's bound to feel the same for you, _thought Carlisle, his eyes piercing into his son's. _I'm sure you know she does._

"No," said Edward firmly, almost glaring back. "I am _not_ willing to believe that she feels at _all_ the same way for me. It would be idiotic on her part if she did."

_That does not change the fact that she _does_ have the same feelings for you, _Carlisle countered. Edward snorted; he refused to accept reality. _The family encourages you to tell her, at the very least. You don't actually have to act on those feelings…but she deserves to know._

"That would only prove disastrous, don't you think?"

_Not if done correctly…_

"Besides, I've realized that no vampire can be with a human for a long period of time for any circumstances. I've learned from my mistakes with Bella," snapped Edward. "Reyn will grow old…I will remain young forever. There just isn't a way that we could keep it up."

_What if she was willing to change for you? Bella was just the same for some time too, _Carlisle pursued. _I do not doubt that Reyn would do agree to a change of that nature._

Edward growled; not at Carlisle but at the statement. "It doesn't matter who the girl is. I'm not going to sentence her or anyone else for that matter to an eternity to Hell if they have another choice, especially if they're going to change for _me_," he said fiercely, shrugging off Carlisle's hand. "Reyn, more than anyone that I could possibly think of, deserves a good life…with or without me…as hard as that is to admit…."

They had dropped the subject and hunted shortly after that. Edward, angry as he was, didn't want to keep hiding the truth from Reyn. She had to know what he felt for her…even it pushed her away from him.

Despite that, he felt like he couldn't say anything. If he loved her…he should want anything for her. If that meant she could be happy with anyone else of her kind, he'd let her go. That thought made him burn with jealousy. He couldn't imagine any other person living beside her other than himself. Edward didn't want some lame _jock_ of a teenager to be gallivanting around with his best friend that he loved. He felt his hands clench up in fury. If he thought it was right, he would keep her with him until she died…but that wasn't fair to her.

He let his eyes run over her face again, which was facing his direction. He cocked his head slightly in thought. Edward knew this face so well that he could describe it to anyone in exact detail right down to the very thin scar just under her jaw line; humans wouldn't have noticed but he did, of course. She wasgorgeous, no doubt about that…. Sure, when she was awake, her left eye closed about a millimeter more than the right and her ears were about four centimeters too high on her head but he couldn't see anything wrong with her. Those cerulean blue eyes…he _cherished_ those eyes. They always stared at him with wonder…with compassion and tenderness. Even when angry, those eyes still remained affectionate for him.

Edward's eyes went to her lips. He knew he would have blushed if he could have. They looked so soft…. He wondered what it would be like to kiss those luscious lips. He had touched them before and he knew they were that supple. Edward shut his eyes, willing himself not to think such stupid things about her. He wouldn't allow for lack of common sense.

Still…when he opened his eyes…as he looked at her…he felt the burn of desire…. But the burn was not in his throat for thirst, but within his chest where his heart should be beating.

Notwithstanding his better judgment, Edward stood up and strode over to Reyn's sleeping figure while mentally berating himself for being absurd. Hesitantly, he leaned over her, placing his hands on either side of her and put his weight on them. Edward bent over more, his face only a foot away. He couldn't bring himself to say the three words that he used to say to Bella. He couldn't say them this soon, even if they were true…even if he absolutely meant them with every fiber of his being.

He touched her lips gently with his and nearly lost himself. They were petal soft, warm…and delicious. Edward jerked away quickly, standing up in a half a second. Reyn's only reaction was that her hard face relaxed a little. He took a few steps away from the bed and stared at the piano she had. That was not something he should have done but he, being the moron that he was, did it anyway. He wondered if Alice had seen that. He hoped not.

Edward still had time. He still had a little while before they would part.

"Don't leave…" Reyn whispered abruptly. Edward turned to her. At first, he thought she had woken up but her eyes were still shut. She wasn't a talker when she slept so this was a little strange and out of the ordinary for her. "….Don't leave me."

He sat down at the edge of the bed and stroked her arm lightly.

"Okay…" he whispered back. "...I won't…."

* * *

"C'mon! Don't be a pansy," Reyn said, splashing warm water at Edward who was standing at the edge of the shallow end of her indoor pool. His arms were crossed but he was smirking.

"I don't have a bathing suit," he argued. Reyn sighed.

Actually, Edward was slightly disappointed. When she had mentioned that she wanted to swim in her very well heated pool, he completely expected to find her diving into the water with a bathing suit that did not do anything to keep her modest. However…Reyn was in long white and navy board shorts and a wetsuit like shirt. He felt a little stupid and definitely embarrassed for wanting to see her near naked.

"Excuses, excuses," she teased, ducking under the water and reemerging after a moment. She was still close enough to splash him so he had to be careful. She smiled and abruptly let out a stream of water from her mouth. Edward stepped back quickly, avoiding the water easily.

"Reyn," he warned. She frowned.

"Fine, I'll swim by myself," Reyn said, a hard edge in her voice. She swam to the deep end that reached sixteen feet down and looked back when she touched the wall.

Edward did an extraordinarily _high_ and perfect dive into the water, clothes and all! "Edward!" she shouted in astonishment.

He came up from the water only six feet away from her. "Happy?" he asked, swimming up to her. He looked slightly annoyed but otherwise, he was grinning. Reyn laughed.

"Yes," she replied while his head sank into the water about halfway to the middle of his nose. "You know, Aiden has some shorts down here. I'm sure you could have borrowed one of them. I don't think that he would _like_ that but -!"

She broke off when Edward spewed out water at her face. Reyn yelped and then laughed. Edward smirked before she splashed water into his face as well. Reyn's face went into an expression resembling mischievousness and wryness. A big splash war then promptly ensued for a few minutes.

They somehow wound up in the shallow end again. Reyn climbed onto his back while they began to talk about random things. It was so weird being able to be with him, talking normally…as if they were ordinary teenagers. There wasn't any drama going on so it was just a strange feeling to Reyn.

Edward was wading around the pool, carrying her as if she was a feather. She had been light before but the water made her even lighter. "If you could like just _one _human food, which do you think that you would enjoy the most based on how it looked?" Reyn asked, now that they were playing a trivia type of game. Edward was thoughtful, doing lengths with her on his back.

"I think I would really like New York Cheesecake," he replied finally. Reyn laughed.

"Yum," she said, closing her eyes. She imagined eating cheesecake with Edward eating the same while sitting across a table at a diner. The scene made him seem so average…. That wasn't Edward, not to her. Yet, she wished he could have been normal. A lot of restrictions that were in their relationship wouldn't exist if he had been human.

"If you could be a vampire, what sort of power would you want?" Edward asked. Reyn didn't need to think about it.

"I would want to be able to shoot energy blasts out my eyes and hands!" she exclaimed. Edward burst out laughing. That wasn't something he was expecting.

"Nice," he replied, sarcasm touching his voice. "Somehow…I can actually see you doing something like that."

Unexpectedly, the phone rang. Reyn glanced at it. "I guess I should get that," she said, releasing him after he swam to the stairs. She dashed up the steps and ran to the phone. She slipped on the marble floor once, yelping in fright, and nearly face planted on the floor.

"Don't run!" Edward snapped just like a dad. "Moron…"

She stuck out her tongue at him before she picked up the phone.

"Hello?" she said politely.

"Hi…is-is this Reyn La Pierre?" said the voice on the other end. It was a female and she sounded a little upset. Reyn grabbed a hand towel and rubbed her hair with it.

"Yes, that's me," she replied, shaking out her hair like a dog. Edward was still in the pool swimming but listening intently. Reyn sat down at the edge of the deep end and dipped her feet in. "Who is this?"

"It's Holly Sparx…. Logan's mother," she said quietly.

Reyn was shocked. _Logan's mom…? This is strange_, she thought. "Oh, hi! It's been a while. I haven't seen you guys in a long time! How are you? How's Logan?" she asked rapidly, a grin on her face.

"It's terrible out here, Reyn…. Logan was in an accident…" Holly said in a sort of a rush. "He…he was surfing…and well, he fell because another surfer cut him off. He hit his head on some coral and went unconscious. By the time the lifeguards realized he wasn't coming up, he was already drowning….

"He's been on life support for three weeks but he's brain-dead…my baby is a vegetable," Holly sobbed. "We had to pull the plug. He couldn't keep living like that. We-we pulled the plug! He's dead…Logan's dead…!"

Reyn was paralyzed. She sat at the edge of the pool, motionless while her face was stuck between shock and sorrow. Edward had heard what had just happened and he was at her feet staring up into her listless eyes as she listen to the woman who clearly had an Australian accent on the other end asking if Reyn could speak at his funeral. Apparently, this Logan and Reyn had been close.

"Yes, Holly," she said in a near monotone while any expression was nonexistent on her face. "I'll be there and so will Aiden."

After another few minutes, Reyn said her good-byes and then clicked the end call button. She just stared blankly into the water, frozen. She wasn't even crying,

Edward pushed himself up and out of the water so he could sit next to her. He wanted to say something but he wasn't sure just _what _to say. Breaking the silence could very well cause her to start bawling and Edward didn't know if that was something that she wanted.

Reyn finally blinked. "It's so surreal…" she whispered. Edward placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm so sorry, Reyn," he said honestly.

She smiled very slightly. "Logan used to be a boyfriend of mine…" she replied. Despite his better judgment, Edward felt himself boil with jealousy. "We broke up after six months…but we still remained friends. In fact, he was the best boyfriend I had had."

Edward clenched his teeth together to keep from lashing out. He tried to remain neutral but Reyn wasn't exactly helping by talking about that kind of stuff. "Logan was a real sweet guy…. He's still really young, maybe twenty now. His dream was to become an internationally known chef…aside from becoming a pro surfer. It's…just so _weird_…."

She stared into her hands. She had not been ready for this sort of blow to her life…not this early. It didn't feel real to her. Edward didn't say anything and Reyn was very appreciative of that. She would rather him just sit there to comfort her like he was already doing.

"I just can't believe he's…_gone_," she choked.

Reyn finally started sobbing into her hands. Edward embraced her and she cried hard into his shoulder.

The next three days were sort of a blur for her. She couldn't recall a lot of what had been happening. Edward had booked her flight for her to Sydney, Australia; she remembered that. And she could remember that he had tried at every presentable and acceptable opportunity to convince her to let him go with her. Reyn had refused point blank. Australia rarely had cloudy days; it was sunny all the time. There was no way he could go and not be noticed.

Edward disputed it all the way to the airport too. "No, Edward," she replied in a monotone. He sighed but he dropped the subject. Reyn could feel Aiden's smug vibes radiating from the back of the Escalade. She was sure Edward could feel them too because he clenched the steering wheel until his knuckles were white as snow.

The most unbearable thing about the trip was the fact that this was the first time Reyn and Edward would be separated from each other for more than a period of a few hours. Reyn would be gone for more than a week and a half.

Once they parked, they pulled out the luggage from the trunk. Aiden was stuck with his luggage and his surfboard while Edward carried Reyn's luggage and she carried her surfboard that she grudgingly took along at Edward's insistence. He had said that doing something that she loved would keep her mind off other things…like Logan's death.

Reyn cringed and pushed away the thought. It was still very hard to accept that one of her very good friends had just passed on. She felt the tears coming but she beat them back successfully.

This trip would be absolute torture….

They registered for their tickets; they went through tight security; and they walked down to the gate. Reyn remained subconsciously close to Edward, never more than four feet away from him.

They only had to wait ten minutes before they called first class seating, which the twins had. Aiden left immediately, taking the one carry-on that they had, and didn't even give a backwards glance to Edward, let alone saying good-bye.

At first, Reyn didn't even get up from her seat until they called for people flying coach to board. After that, they sort of stared at each other for a few minutes.

Edward sighed. He just couldn't do this. Reyn was going to be gone for at least a week. By now, everyone was practically boarded and only a few were left, most likely running late.

"Be safe, Reyn," he said finally, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She smiled weakly up at him.

"Yeah, you too," she replied, dropping her eyes. Edward chuckled briefly before embracing her. He felt her hands grip the back of his shirt tightly. This was agony. He didn't want to watch her leave. It was too unbearable.

Edward felt her tears wet the front of his t-shirt. It seemed that this was just as painful for her as it was for him. They had grown too attached to one another. It felt like their existences meant nothing without the other. That thought made him tighten his grip around her just a little more. She didn't flinch…so it didn't hurt.

There was a series of high-pitched beeps before a woman's voice came onto the P.A. system. "This is the final boarding call for flight destination Sydney, Australia. Please come to gate 32 immediately. Again, this is the _final_ boarding call for Flight 59 to Sydney, Australia."

Reyn didn't release him. Edward had to be the strong one and detached himself first. "Alright, that's enough. Go before you miss your flight," he said, pushing her towards the gate. Reyn wiped her tears away and attempted to smile as she walked away. She waved, her eyes sad.

"Bye…" she mouthed. Edward nodded with a weak smile. Reyn handed the lady her ticket and disappeared through the gateway.

He didn't move from the spot for a long time…


	9. Savior

**Author's Note: This is probably my favorite chapter...Edward is so valiant! And there are confessions! Anyways, I don't want to give anything away so please hurry and read! Enjoy!**

**I don't own anything twilight. The end**

Chapter Nine: Savior

Edward pulled into the driveway of the Cullen home. He sat in his car for a while after he turned off the ignition. He hadn't really had a reason to come home in the last month…. Only to change his clothes or pick up someone who happened to want to hunt with him. Most of the time it was Emmett or Alice…but Jasper and Carlisle and even Esme opted to go with him once.

Alice was waiting for him when he came into the house through the garage entrance. She was smiling affectionately at him before she reached up for a hug. Edward couldn't help but smile.

_She's going to be just fine…_Alice sent through her thoughts. _Don't worry too much. After the funeral, she'll be much happier._

He believed her. Edward could see the exact visions she had of all of what she had stated. "Thanks, Alice," he replied.

She grinned.

He wandered aimlessly into his room. Nothing held his attention for more than fifteen minutes. Edward had tried to read one of the novels he had been neglecting for the last month but the plot line seemed highly insignificant to him now.

He stood up and went to his collection of CDs. He very briefly scanned them and found the rock section. He recognized the artists but he had rarely played or listened to them. However… playing music from this genre made him feel somewhat connected to Reyn…. It was a silly thought but it didn't matter to him.

30 Seconds to Mars's _This is War _was his choice and he slid the CD into the player and pressed play. He had purchased the CD when she had said it was her favorite band. He had listened to the CD before...and he knew the songs he liked and the ones that he could have done without knowing. He pressed forward to the song "Alibi," which started out with a beautiful piano chord for the first minute or so. The words were deep...the singer spoke of about falling apart...and being able to find the strength to get back up again to keep moving forward.

Edward fell back onto his couch and listened intently to the words and music with his eyes shut. This definitely reminded him of Reyn, which caused a smile to pull across his lips.

The meager connection to Reyn through her favorite music kept him preoccupied for about an hour before he decided he was done. There was only so much noise his brain could take. Yes, 30STM had a uniquely epic sound to them that sometimes belonged in movies, but he was always going to be partial to classical music.

He moped around the house. He watched a football game with Emmett but barely paid any attention to it, helped Esme plant some tulips in the backyard, and even tuned up one his cars.

Around eleven pm, he glanced at his watch. _Reyn should be there soon, _he thought dully while he walked back into the house to go back to his room. Edward passed by the piano and paused. How long had it been since he'd played? About a month or so…. He went to it and sat down on the bench.

Without realizing it, he began to compose a song instead of playing ones that he had already created. _Hmm, Edward's composing again, _he heard Alice think. She was coming down the stairs in the other room before she sat down on the landing and listened.

He added a long string of different keys and melodies. Edward shook his head when his fingers dashed onto higher pitched keys; he didn't like the way the melody sounded and restarted. The composing process only took about seven minutes but he wasn't sure he was quite done.

Edward played the tune once through. _That's one of his more _depressing_ compositions… _Rosalie thought from her room. Edward couldn't help but laugh. Now that he thought about it, she was right. It _was_ quite depressing. Alice bounded out to his side. Her small fingers danced across the piano, keeping the melancholy chord in the song. He smiled up at his favorite sister. She had just finished his song for him.

"As miserable as it sounds, it's very hypnotic," Alice said, her eyes twinkling. "It's very obvious where the inspiration came from."

Edward chuckled.

"Play it again."

He complied and his hands flowed smoothly across the keys with Alice occasionally adding a short melody in the middle of it, using the higher keys.

Edward let his mind wander as he played.

* * *

Reyn lowered her eyes away from her reflection in the mirror. A small tear streaked her cheek. Many emotions overwhelmed her exhausted mind and she couldn't keep her thoughts straight.

Today was the funeral service…but instead her mind was not on Logan…but on Edward. Two days had gone by… and there wasn't a moment where he wasn't lingering in her thoughts. She wondered if he was thinking of her just as much as she was of him. All of this was torture.

The day she arrived, she remained in her room. The day before, she attempted to surf…only to find herself on the beach staring into the water. Surfing no longer seemed to be the pinnacle of her life. Aiden had been surfing the moment he got there and he was doing that now even though the funeral was only about two hours from now. She shook her head in irritation and she rose to a stand. He would undoubtedly be running late.

She had recited and gone through her speech in her head but she knew that once she got up in front of the audience, she'd forget everything. Public speaking didn't bother her…but she was sure she'd lose it.

Reyn put her feet in her black Vans and pulled on her black aviator jacket over her black tank top. She was never one for dresses and skirts and she was sure that Holly knew that she wouldn't show up in such ridiculous things.

That thought made her smile very slightly before she went downstairs. Reyn used to love this estate but now that she spent all her time in the Forks complex… she hated it. It was too hot, too sunny…and there was no Edward. It was beachfront property and she could see Aiden surfing up the decent waves just out through the glass doors of the dining room.

She pushed the sliding glass door and walked out onto the deck. Her shoes sank a little in the sand while she went out to the water. "Aiden!" she shouted. He glanced at her and turned his surfboard towards the shore. Once his board hit the sand, he jumped off and picked it up.

"Hey, Rey," he said good-naturedly, shaking out his hair.

"The service is in two hours. Shouldn't you be getting ready?" Reyn said, folding her arms. He rolled his eyes but his face held a playful smirk.

"That's in, like, forever, Rey," he said with a short laugh. Reyn didn't return the look or the noise. She merely gave him a dark look. Aiden sighed heavily.

"Okay, okay, I'll get ready now," he said in a defeated tone. He leaned his board against the porch wall and went into the house. "Sheesh…this girl…"

Reyn quietly seethed. His behavior aggravated her. Aiden was always the one who was bubbly, no matter the situation or environment. It was something that seemed too uncontrollable for him because even when people were serious…he wasn't. She couldn't understand why everything was such a big joke to him. One day he was going to have to grow up!

The car ride there was awkward. Aiden was driving down the familiar streets of Sydney, popping his gum obnoxiously. Finally, he decided he wanted the music blasted and the top of the convertible down. Reyn felt the wind rip through her hair as she stared blankly at the passing scenery.

A sharp vibration shot down through her thigh. She pulled out her cell phone and saw that she had a text message. Reyn's stomach lurched at the sender.

Edward.

_Good luck… and stay strong, _he sent. She felt her heart skip a beat.

_I will and thx…._she paused wondering if she should put her thoughts into text form. _I miss you…_

It took less than a minute for him to reply to her. _I'll bet my eternity that I miss you more._

Reyn chuckled quietly but not loud enough for Aiden to hear or notice. _I'll bet my life that I miss you more, _she teased.

_Don't say that…_

_Why does it bother u every time I say somethin like that?_

There was a long pause before his reply came back.

_I can't imagine a world without you…. Life is a precious thing, Reyn and you shouldn't just say things so dismissively._

Reyn rolled her eyes but smiled to herself. It was Edward's way of showing he cared for her. _That doesnt negate the fact that I really do miss u that much. Thats how I feel…_

There was another long pause. _Your feelings confuse me._

_Lol. What?_

_Haven't you ever realized you send mixed signals?_

Reyn realized where this conversation was heading and her heart seemed to accelerate with her nervousness. He was alluding to the fact that she had deep and intense feelings for her best friend. Maybe Edward was worried that if she did, he obviously did not feel the same way….

_I dont understand…_

_Don't play coy, Reyn. Please be honest. Haven't you ever thought of us like that?_

Reyn's stomach dropped. She had no idea what she should say…and she was scared. If she _was _honest, there was the strong possibility she would be completely rejected. A part of her was actually okay with that but another part of her didn't know if she would be able to handle the refusal.

She decided to play naïve. _Like wut? U need 2 b way more straightforward._

…_Okay, I'll call you later then…around eleven your time, if that's okay._

_Wut! Y?_

_I had the sudden realization that this conversation, at least, should be had over the phone. Texting isn't very personal._

_Edward! U cant do that…._

He never ended up replying and Reyn, throughout the entire funeral service, other than during her speech, couldn't stop thinking about the upcoming conversation. She had no idea how it was going to go but she was glad that he wasn't doing this face-to-face. Reyn wouldn't have been able to hold her ground.

Speaking of her speech, Reyn didn't end up choking up like she thought she would have. She figured because she had spent her tears a while before. The slideshow they had presented of Logan did make her tear up again though. Reyn was glad she and Aiden were able to speak about their experiences with Logan. They provided a different insight on the silly surfer they had loved.

But when she and Aiden were driving on the way back to the estate, she felt her previous apprehension rise in her throat. She had never been so nervous to talk about something such as her liking a boy. Before, she had been upfront and to the point, even to the men who were nearing six years older than her…. But Edward was a whole other story.

At ten-thirty, she was antsy. "Seriously Reyn…what the heck is up with you?" Aiden had asked, watching her pace around the kitchen, clutching her cell phone.

She stopped in her tracks and stared up at him. "Nothing, I'm fine!" she said, a strange sort of grin on her face. Aiden raised an eyebrow, unconvinced.

"I don't believe you," he laughed lightly. He looked down at his cell phone, which had just vibrated from a text message.

Reyn snuck out to the beach before he had a chance to restart the conversation. The sky was dark but the moon gave her just enough light to be able to see what she might step on with her bare feet in the sand.

She walked along the beach in a loud silence. The waves were crashing heavily on the sand and the tide was in. The cool water washed over her feet with each beating wave and it soothed her nerves somewhat.

When her phone sounded off a loud ringtone, she glanced at the caller id. Of course, it was Edward. Reyn breathed in slowly and sat in the dry sand before she clicked on the answer call button.

"Hi…" she said shakily.

"Hi, Reyn," said the familiar silky voice. Her nerves instantly vanished. "How did you do today?"

Reyn lay back on the sand and stared up at the dark sky dotted with very little stars. The city was blocking out most of it. "I did fine. The funeral was a little boring for whom it was presented for but other than that, I can't complain…. I mean, it _was_ a funeral."

Edward laughed. "Where are you? I can hear a lot of noise in the background."

Reyn smiled. "Sorry, I'm on the beach. Did you want me to go back inside?" she asked, rolling onto her stomach.

"No, if you're enjoying yourself, stay. Isn't it almost twelve there though?" Edward said over the obvious rain that was in his background.

"Well, yeah…but it's a private beach so it's okay," Reyn replied while drawing circles in the soft sand. He chuckled lightly and he didn't say anything. Reyn felt her stomach clench up again. This was the pause before the storm of the next conversation. She wasn't sure she was ready to hear this.

"I guess…I should talk to you about the reason I called," he said hesitantly. Reyn let out a heavy, nervous sigh and agreed. "I just don't know where to begin."

Reyn remained silent for some time and so did Edward. She clenched her teeth and tried to mount her courage. "It was unavoidable."

"What was?" he replied.

She cringed and shut her eyes tight. "Falling in love with you."

It was very quiet on the other end, save for the white noise of the rain. She wondered if he was going to say anything or if she should break the painful silence. Reyn took a breath and opened her mouth but Edward beat her to it. "That's possibly the most foolish thing you have ever done, Reyn," he said darkly.

Immediately, she felt her anger bubble. She found his statement insulting…. "Loving you is _foolish?"_ she snapped, sitting up abruptly and staring out at the dark waves that crashed along the beach. "So, basically you're saying that I'm stupid."

"No, I wasn't saying that-"

"Well, I'm _sorry_, Edward!" Reyn said, her voice rising. She felt furious tears streak her cheeks. "I'm _sorry_ that I have feelings for you. And I'm _sorry_ that I'm not good enough for you."

"That's not what I-" he tried to say.

"I _know _you're still not over Bella. I get that, Edward, I do. But that doesn't change the fact that I love you more than she ever could, okay? Maybe I _am_ stupid for thinking that there was a small chance for us. Maybe I had hoped that you will feel the same way eventually but obviously I was wrong!"

She fell silent after her little rant. After another moment, Edward spoke. "Are you finished?" he said quietly.

"I haven't decided that yet," Reyn spat.

He paused. "First off, you're assuming that I do not feel the same for you," he said, an undertone of anger prevalent, "because I do. You're saying that you fell in love with me…what makes you think that I haven't fallen just as hard for you? Yes, it _was _inevitable. Somewhere in the back of our minds, you and I both knew the repercussions of this arrangement. We knew that there wasn't a way to avoid the deep connection and intense feelings we have now.

"But I just can't watch you throw your life away for _me_, Reyn. I won't let you do that. You have a promising life, a good future-"

"Who the _hell_ are you thinking you can just up and decide how to live my life!" Reyn yelled, genuinely hurt and angry. "You can't settle on whatever you think is best for yourself."

"This was _never_ about me!" Edward snapped back. "It was always about _you!"_

Rage ran rampant through her veins. "Don't start, Edward. You can't blame this on me," she snarled. "Admit it."

"_What?"_ he growled.

"Admit that you're scared of what could happen. You don't want to risk it. You had your heart broken and you don't know if you can handle something like that again," Reyn replied. "You know it's true."

Edward let out an exasperated noise. "Reyn, I don't care about me. All I've cared about in the last month is that I want you to be happy."

"That _you _want me to be happy. _You _want what's best for me…" she said furiously. "See? It's been about you this whole time!"

"Are you kidding me, Reyn!" Edward shouted. "Your logic is beyond ludicrous!"

Out of sheer anger, she clicked the end call button. "Idiot!" she grumbled, turning off the phone as well. Reyn stared out at the dark water for a long time before she felt her eyes sting with tears.

They've reached the point of no return.

They had to decide where their relationship was headed. Both now knew that they were in love with the other…. Reyn, on one hand, was willing to risk their friendship to let their relationship blossom into something much deeper. She was fully prepared to do anything, including becoming a vampire for him. However, on the other hand, Edward was not ready to dive into something of this nature again this soon. He was too scared and too wary about the possible consequences.

No matter what his decision was though…she would except it and support him in it. She owed him that much, at least.

After what seemed like hours…she finally stood up and brushed off her legs from the sand clinging to her skin. With a sigh, she turned towards her house. Only the porch light was on….

* * *

She hung up on me!

I felt myself grow angry and I immediately called her back. It only took three seconds to hear this: "Hi! You've reached Reyn La Pierre's (that's me) cell and ooooobviously I'm not able to take your call right now. So, please just leave your name, a number, or a message and I'll try to get back to you as soon as I can! Thank you!"

Voicemail.

I wanted to strangle that girl. She had turned off her phone. I had the urge to throw my own cell phone out the window because I was so angry but I decided that would prove wasteful of my time because then I'd have to outside and find it.

Well, if she was going to act like this…then I had something up my sleeve.

* * *

Reyn stayed in bed all the next day, ignoring all of Edward's phone calls in the morning, which probably amounted to about twenty or more. He didn't call after eleven though…she thought he may have given up or something. She left about ten voicemails but Reyn didn't even check them, not wanting to hear his voice.

She doubted Aiden noticed his sister's brooding and melancholy mood and he went surfing…again.

Reyn had never experienced depression before but…she knew that this was the onslaught of one. She was too tired to get out of bed…she wasn't hungry, and she had no drive to do a thing. She slept most of the day and all that next night.

However, the next day, she willed herself to rise out of bed and eat something for breakfast. Out of stubbornness, she even decided to put on a bathing suit and go out on the beach and surf. It did help her mood drastically because she found herself enjoying the company of her brother. Reyn was surprised…. She didn't think she would ever be able to have fun with Aiden again….

Media found out that they were staying in Australia and paparazzi arrived on the beach. Technically, it was a private beach but the twins decided they wouldn't press charges and let the cameramen take shots of them surfing. After a while, Reyn used the "this is a private beach, private property" line on them so they would leave after two hours of shooting them.

At dusk, which was around 6:15, Aiden went inside to get ready for a party he was invited to. He had tried to get Reyn to come with but she told him she wasn't in the partying mood.

"Are you sure?" Aiden had asked. Reyn could see the sting of rejection in his eyes. She exhaled silently before smiling.

"All right, I'll go."

She didn't think that Aiden's eyes would light up so brightly. "Really?" he asked.

"Yes, really."

"It'll be fun, I swear," he said with a goofy grin. Reyn laughed as she wiped her feet off on the mat so she could come into the house.

They left about an hour later and arrived at the house where the party was being held at about 7:30. The house definitely belonged to a wealthier person because it was in a secluded area, which made parking easier, and it was pretty large in size. Luckily, there weren't houses around it so it seemed highly unlikely that police was going to come and break up the party.

The music was obnoxiously loud and the smell of alcohol was prevalent. Neither of the twins were drinkers, although they've had their fair share of drunken nights due to peer pressure. Reyn decided, more for herself than for her brother, that she would remain the designated driver if Aiden decided that he wanted to have a beer or two.

Walking up to the house brought an onslaught of flashbacks.

This use to be her everyday life before Forks. All she ever did was party. She never got into any trouble, especially with drugs and alcohol but she remembered that she use to be a heavy partier. Reyn knew at the time that she didn't need any substances to have fun.

Old "friends" appeared out of no where and greeted the twins. Beers were immediately handed to them but Reyn managed to pass hers on to the next person while swiping the beer out of Aiden's hand. He didn't seem to notice or care and kept talking to his friends.

This was not her scene…not anymore.

Reyn finally left her brother and his stupid friends to wander around the house. It was crowded so it proved rather difficult to move from one room to another. She found herself in the dancing area, where all the sluts were freaking with random guys. These girls were hardly wearing anything and as Reyn watched them, she figured they all might as well have sex now on the dance floor because it wasn't like they were doing anything else.

Reyn snorted with disgust as she continued on to find the glass doors to the deck where the Jacuzzi was.

She went through, since the doors were cast open, and of course, people were dancing out here too. Those who were in the Jacuzzi weren't wearing much either and some were making out. Even though Reyn only got a quick glance, it was obvious that this house was on top of some sort of cliff or hill because they had an amazing view of the city.

Drunken guys kept asking Reyn to dance with them but she refused and kept walking around. She managed to squeeze her way up the stairs to the third floor. (When she and Aiden first walked in through the main door, they were on the second floor, the first being like an open basement.)

Reyn wanted to find some sort of balcony or something similar so she could get some fresh air and get away from most of the noise. She opened up a door to a room only to find that she wished she hadn't. It was a threesome…the two girls play fighting over who would get to go down on the guy first.

Revolted, she slammed the door shut again, knowing that she really hadn't disturbed them and continued down the large hall to find another room. She gripped another doorknob but found it locked. Well, at least the people in there had some common sense.

The next two doors were similar to the first. One had a couple making out and when Reyn opened the door, they jumped away from one another. Reyn apologized and shut the door. The second door held two people at the climax of their little activity and Reyn bolted out of the room in a second, not wanting to hear anymore of the moaning or screaming.

"For God's sake!" Reyn cried to herself, opening one last door.

It was empty.

She breathed a sigh of relief and shut the door. It was obvious that it was the master bedroom as she made her way over to the sliding glass door. Under her feet, she could hear the music playing and the bass made the floor vibrate violently.

Reyn found a little couch out on the balcony and collapsed into it. _Why did I come…?_

That thought kept humming through her head as she gazed out into the landscape with a vague look of depression. Her eyes shifted to the full moon that hung above her head.

The strangest analogy came to mind.

The moon and the sun…so seemingly different and always so separated. One was so bright and warm…and the other so cold and lonely. They seemed so disconnected to the other but in reality…they were two pieces to one puzzle of time. You couldn't have one without the other and both…both shared the sky together so in reality…they weren't so separated after all.

She was the sun…. Edward was the moon.

Reyn lowered her eyes to the deck of the balcony and let out a small chuckle to herself. What a silly analogy…

Not five minutes later, someone joined her on the balcony. _Oh, great…_thought Reyn with a roll of her eyes. It was some random, drunk guy and he was grinning at her mischievously. There was a familiar glint in his eyes that Reyn couldn't quite place…but she knew she had seen the same look before. Actually, he looked like he may have been a friend of Aiden's but she didn't keep track of his friends anymore. The guy was tall but not that great looking. Maybe if Reyn had never met the Cullen family, she would have thought he would have been a little hot with his short black hair, ice blue eyes with a strange scar just above his left eyebrow, and muscled body but now her idea of "hot" was very skewed.

"Hey, pretty lady," he said, trying to act all suave as she stood up. "Why are you all alone up here?"

Reyn did not reply and shoved past him to leave. She was _not_ about to hang around and talk to this guy for various reasons. The main one being that he was drunk…and the second was that she wasn't really in the mood for anyone's company. Before she was even a foot away from him, he gripped her upper arm tightly and jerked her to him. "Don't be like that, baby…" he said, his breath fanning over her face while he smiled down at her. She coughed and leaned away from him; he reeked of alcohol.

"Let go of me, _now_," she said seriously. She glared at him with darkest of eyes. It did not deter him though…. His hold around her arm tightened to the point that it was now starting to hurt and she inhaled sharply with pain.

Before Reyn could wrench her arm away from him, his lips were all over her own. She made of noise of utter astonishment as he shoved her against a wall and grinded on her.

_This could not be happening!_

With all her strength, she shoved him away and clenched her fist, landing a good punch in his jaw. Pain shot from her knuckles and then up her arm from the blow. She had the feeling that it hurt her more than it hurt him.

"Asshole!" she shouted.

He barely stumbled and it only looked as if her resistance sent him wild with arousal. Now, Reyn felt her stomach seize up in fear as his eyes became dark. She bolted towards the door but she only managed to grasp the handle when the guy's hands locked around both her arms. His fingers dug hard into her skin while she struggled against him.

He hauled her away from the door and dragged her towards the bed. Reyn tried to put up a fight but this guy was just too strong and he had too good of a hold on her. She screamed for help but she knew it was useless. There was no way anyone was going to hear her over the music downstairs.

The guy threw her on the bed and Reyn took this opportunity to kick him with the heel of her shoe. She missed his crotch but got him in the gut, making him grunt. Reyn scrambled to the other side of the bed, still yelling for help and she made for the door once more while he was recovering from the blow. This time, she wasn't even close to the doorknob when the guy caught hold of her again.

The guy thrust her onto the floor, giving up on the bed, and pinned her down with his knees. "No! _No!_ Stop it!" Reyn shrieked. "Help! Someone!"

He crushed her lips with his, silencing her in a second by shoving his tongue into her mouth. Reyn attempted to push him off but held down her arms with his hands. Tears stung her eyes. She couldn't believe she was about to get raped. This was not what was supposed to happen!

Out of desperation, she bit down on the tongue that was violating her mouth. He made a noise of pain and jerked away. Reyn was a little surprised she had bit hard enough to draw blood but that surprise was very short lived when he looked at her with an almost evil smirk.

"Feisty, aren't we?" he half laughed, touching his tongue with a finger. Reyn saw his dark blood slide down his finger. "This should be fun…"

He shifted his weight so he could restrain her arms down with his knees while he began to unbutton her pants. Reyn's eyes grew wide.

"_Please_," she begged, tears streaking her face. "Don't do th-"

He backhanded her, cutting her off in mid sentence. "Don't make me hit you again," he said in an attempt at a sweet voice. "I don't want to hurt you."

Reyn's right cheek stung as she tried to force back her terror but it was too hard of a task. She dared not speak again, fearing that he would hit her much harder than before, but a small whimper escaped her trembling lips.

The man's fingers slipped between her legs. She couldn't move; he had her pinned to the floor too well but she struggled to break free. She tried to tell herself that this wasn't happening…but it was. She had to get away from him! He mistook her jerking movements as that she was enjoying him pleasuring her and quickened his pace. Reyn gasped involuntarily and he laughed to himself.

Flashes of old memories crossed her eyes. Instead of this guy though…it was her mother…and instead of raping her, it was a brutal beating. Reyn realized that this man had the same dark look of _power _in his icy blue eyes…the same look that her mother had always had when she would beat Reyn.

She couldn't hold back the tiniest of a sob.

"Shh…" he whispered while unzipping the fly of his pants. "Trust me...you'll like it."

His eyes glinted sinfully as he tried to push her jeans down while restraining her. Before Reyn could blink, there was a deafening noise of something breaking and the guy abruptly flew off her body. He slammed into the dresser behind him, causing it to break with the force of the impact. Instinctively, she backed away into the nearest corner.

Standing near the guy was a familiar figure with bronze hair and pale skin and the door to the master bedroom was in pieces all over the floor. "You miserable, son-of-a-bitch…."

Edward flashed forward toward the guy and took a hold of him. He lifted up the guy by the throat with one hand and thrust him against the wall, leaving an indention of a body in the stucco. Edward's eyes were black with murderous intent and it sent instant waves of intense fear through his victim's body. The guy's feet were dangling a foot or so above the floor and he was struggling to breathe. He tried to pry open Edward's vice-like grip around his neck but it was no use so he continued to gasp for mercy. "If you _ever _touch her again, or any other girl for that matter, I will make you pray for your own death…" he hissed.

Edward hurled the defenseless guy across the room where he slammed into a large wall mirror. The mirror fell with him and it shattered once it hit the floor, cutting his skin. The smell of blood barely attracted Edward's attention because his fury was too great.

"Get out, before I decide to kill you now!" Edward roared before letting out a horribly menacing snarl. The guy scrambled to a stand and sprinted out of the room, terrified. Edward stared after him for a moment before he turned to Reyn behind him. His eyes were blazing with rage.

She stared blankly up at him while she sat in the fetal position in the corner of the room. The moonlight that was pouring through the open balcony doors made him look even paler than he already was. He looked as though he was struggling to regain control of himself because his eyes kept shifting from murder to comfort.

Tears rimmed her blue eyes. Her skin was beginning to bruise where the guy had gripped her arms tightly and her hair was in disarray. Even in the dark, Edward could see her right cheek reddening where the blood was pooling.

She looked so scared.

"Reyn," Edward whispered, taking a step towards her. She cowered into the corner. "Are you okay?"

Without warning, she started to sob. With every breath, her body shook with humiliation and pain. Reyn cried into her arms. She could hear Edward walk towards her and more than anything, she wanted to retreat even further away from him. She didn't want him to see her this way.

She felt so violated…even though the act of rape didn't actually happen, Reyn still felt like she was ravaged by a lustful man…because she _was_. The look in his eyes had been so terrifying; it was like she was no longer a human being anymore…but merely a prize to be won. That power that he wanted was the same power her mother sought for all those years before. Edward had been there to see it and that was the worst part; he had seen how weak she was. There was no way that she could have defended herself and now…Edward had seen how pathetically feeble she was.

Reyn cried even harder.

She felt Edward sit beside her and then after a moment, he pulled her into his arms. His embrace was tight but gentle. Reyn sobbed into his shoulder, feeling so ashamed of herself.

"It's okay…shh…" he said consolingly. Reyn felt his lips brush across the top of her head and he kissed her lightly on the forehead.

Edward tried to remain as calm as he could and he knew that if he left her, he would only hunt the kid down and torture him. Edward wanted him dead…. He had thought rescuing Bella from a pack of ravenous, lust-filled men that were only _thinking_ dirty things was pushing his willpower enough but this…this was so much harder to deny.

This man _had _violated her…he wasn't just thinking of doing it. And for that, he had to die. Edward wanted to bolt out of the room and stalk the guy…haunt him before he would make him beg to for his death. Edward wanted nothing more than to tear his flesh from bone while he screamed for mercy. He had a blood score to settle...Edward vowed to make him pay for what he had done.

But Reyn needed him more than anything right now. He couldn't leave her when she was hurting the most, especially because she was also the one woman that he loved more than anything…more than he had ever loved Bella. Comforting Reyn was more important that murdering the man that ravaged her. And having Reyn see him in the state of wild fury and killing someone was not something that he would want Reyn to remember of him. Edward was just relieved that he had stopped the guy before he had time to truly rape her…otherwise, Edward would have killed him on the spot, even with Reyn sitting there to watch.

He stroked her arm gently and held her as tight as he could without hurting her. Edward would give anything to have her stop crying. Every shaky sob was like a blunted knife ripping through flesh. If one thing could pain him the most in this world, it was listening to her weep uncontrollably.

"You're safe now…" he said into her ear. "You're safe…."


	10. Mind over Matter

**Author's Note: hahhaahah...sorry, so this is like an epic chapter! Epic in content and size. But i know you'll enjoy it! anyways, I dont have anything other than that to say because that's all i have to say! ^_^**

**I don't own anything from Twilight. just my OCs and plotline.  
**

Chapter Ten: "Mind over Matter"

Reyn opened her eyes.

She was surprised to find that she was in her own room in the Australian estate, nestled between warm covers and sheets. She glanced at the alarm clock; it was only 9:14 in the morning, although the sun was already shining. However, it was winter for Australia, because it was on the southern hemisphere, instead of its regular summer heat in the November, December months. But it was still on the warmer side according to thermometer that she had. It was already 75 degrees outside.

Reyn lifted the covers to find that she was still wearing the clothes that she had worn to the party, minus the aviator jacket she had been wearing over her plain white t-shirt and her shoes were also missing. Her eyes caught sight of her computer chair right next to the bed and she wondered what it was doing there.

She didn't remember falling asleep…in fact, the only two things she remembered was… sobbing nonstop on Edward and then that guy who was-

Shaking her head, Reyn shoved that thought out of her mind and sat up. Now, she was aware of voices outside her bedroom door that were in a heated argument but were trying to remain quiet. It didn't seem to be working all that well.

"How the hell did you even find-?"

"She was almost _raped_, Aiden!" snapped Edward's voice over Aiden. "Quit asking me how I found her and focus on the fact that one of your _friends_ completely violated your own sister!"

"I don't believe you," Aiden hissed back. "If you're so sure it was one of my friends, name him off."

"Andrew Krasnigor…" said Edward instantly. There was a pause.

"You've _gotta _be kidding me!" shouted her brother in a whisper. "You think _Drew_ did it? Are you fricken high? He's _not_ that kind of guy…. I mean, he's still a virgin for Christ's sake!"

"I highly doubt that," growled Edward angrily. "He is definitely _that _kind of guy especially when he's _drunk!"_

"You're just trying to cause problems!" shot Aiden, just as pissed off. "Besides, you don't even know Drew…you probably picked up his name at the party because you needed a name to go with the guy that…"

Aiden trailed off, not wanting to venture into the district of Reyn's near rape. It was too uncomfortable for him to talk about.

There was a dark laugh that came from Edward. "If you really would like to know, I asked someone what his name was and the girl came out with 'Andrew Krasnigor.' She said he was a friend of yours…and thereafter, starting swooning over you…"

Edward snorted with revulsion.

"No," replied Aiden defiantly. "No, _no_…Andrew isn't the guy you saw. It had to be someone else…"

"Short black hair, light blue eyes, about six feet tall, probably works out a lot, has a pale birthmark on his neck on the left side, and has a small scar just above his left eyebrow shaped like a crescent," said Edward with an air of arrogance. He sounded like he was ready to rip Aiden apart.

There was no immediate response back, which meant that Aiden realized that Edward may be right. Reyn hoped he wasn't going to be stubborn.

"This is ridiculous!" he said finally. "I'm leaving."

Reyn could hear his heavy footsteps walk away and it went quiet. She felt her heart sink a little. She had hoped that Aiden would have been a bit more protective over his sister but he was in denial…and it was only because it was Edward telling him the story. Aiden would have more than likely believed it if Reyn had told it to him herself.

Finally, the door opened and Edward stepped through. He had already known that she had been awake and that she heard the whole spat with her brother. She still had the "deer-in-headlights" look every time she saw him and it tore at his heart to see her react that way. She could never fully meet his eyes; she'd always lower them or shift them away.

He walked over to her bed and sat down next to her. Wordlessly, he reached out to touch her cheek but she flinched away unconsciously. Reyn was still scared out of her mind.

"How are you feeling?" he asked at last, removing his hand from her face. She lowered her eyes and pulled her legs close to her chest as if to protect herself.

Tears stung her already puffy, red eyes. "Tainted…" she choked. She didn't sob this time, but she was crying silently, her tears like rivers falling across her satin cheeks. "Contaminated…violated…used…_dirty…"_

She couldn't look at him. Reyn didn't want to be judged or thought of as somehow…ugly.

"Reyn, you're none of those things," Edward said soothingly. "I can assure you that you're still pure…and still innocent-"

He broke off when she shook her head vehemently in disagreement. "No…" she said quietly. "I was so stupid…. I deserved it, I guess. I had yelled at you…. I deserved-"

Angry that she was trying to blame herself for last night, he let a low growl escape his lips. "Stop it," he snapped. "Don't ever say things like that…because you did _not _deserve it."

Reyn finally met his eyes and if he had had a beating heart, it would have skipped a few beats. Her eyes were so deep and so beautiful. If he had it his way, he would stare into them for eternity and then die there.

Edward always had a way of persuading her with those gentle golden eyes. He always said the right thing…always made her feel better than what she was. "Thank you," she said, the smallest of a smile creeping over her lips.

"You don't have to thank me," replied Edward. He shook his head slightly. "That was the least I could have done…. It was actually a good thing you were crying; otherwise I would have hunted him down and murdered him."

He sounded dead serious and Reyn believed him.

She shifted her gaze to the wall opposite of her. She had no idea what to say. Seeing him at that moment was a blessing and a curse. Yes, Edward had saved her from a terrible event that would have truly scarred her for the rest of her life but at the same time…she didn't want to see him so soon after their fight on the phone. Both confessed to having deep feelings for the other. However, Reyn knew that Edward wasn't ready….

In that moment, she decided that she would not bring up the topic on her own. If Edward wanted to talk about it, then she would certainly oblige…but never would she try to force him to step up their relationship.

The ball was in his court.

Reyn convinced herself that she would be perfectly content with remaining his best friend. She didn't want to push…and she didn't want to scare him off. Her resolve was to remain neutral and place all her feelings for him in the furthest part of her mind.

"What are we thinking?" asked Edward after watching her for a few minutes.

She shook her head and smiled at him. "You truly are amazing…"

Edward smiled back before Reyn lowered her eyes to the bedspread. His smile turned into a deep frown. He knew that she was hiding something from him and it bothered him that she didn't want to talk about it but he did not voice his knowledge. She had been through too much last night for him to be trying to pry out information. It would not have been very fair for him to request that from her.

"So…how _did _you find me?" Reyn asked curiously. Edward laughed aloud and moved more onto the bed to sit closer to her.

"I just had to follow the traces of your face in people's minds. After I tracked down your house and realized you weren't here, I started searching through people's heads to see if anyone had any idea where you had run off to. Lucky you're a bit famous otherwise it would have been a tedious task, to say the least," he explained, looking thoughtful. "A couple of rumors placed you in various parts of Sydney but as I continued circling the city, I kept seeing your face amongst teens and people in their younger twenties.

"After a while, the most common rumor of the night was that the La Pierre twins were at a wealthy party up on Hawk's Ridge, one of the last places I wanted to find you. I followed someone to the house and sure enough, _everyone _had seen you or had at least heard you were there…."

He broke off and his smile faded from his face. "The closer I was to the house, the easier it was for me to see the thoughts of others. My range is pretty wide of stranger minds…and familiar minds I can hear for many miles.

"At first, I tracked your progress through the house by means of all of the minds there, mostly Aiden's…but then you left him so I had to jump from one mind to another to make sure you were safe," he said, glancing at Reyn. He attempted to gauge her mood to see if he should continue on. She _seemed_ okay. "But then…that guy Andrew seemed to be keeping good tabs on you so I stuck with him for a while, not paying attention to _why _he was so interested in you. I figured it was something innocent."

He felt Reyn burn up with shame and he stopped. For a moment, she did not notice but then she looked at him expectantly for him to continue.

"I had been naïve in trusting his intent. After some time…I realized that he had plenty of other objectives than just to watch over you…" Edward said, but he came to a halt as he remembered all the disgusting and horrifying thoughts Andrew had about Reyn. "I wasn't sure I would make it in time to help you. He was hell-bent on what he wanted…there was no stopping him."

Reyn had been holding his hand and as he told the story, her grip went tighter by the second. "But you _did_ make it in time," she whispered.

Edward didn't reply for a moment. "You should have seen your face…" he whispered. "You looked so terrified…. Even when you looked at me, you seemed like you were going to bolt out of the room."

She looked away from his gaze. "I didn't know what to do…" she replied. "I was humiliated and I didn't want you to see me…like that."

Cold hands took her by the face and Reyn found herself staring into shaded topaz eyes. Their faces were close and she could feel his icy breath waft over her skin. "Reyn, you don't have to be humiliated when you're with me, okay?" he said seriously. She nodded and before he released her face, he kissed her on the forehead like he had the night before.

Reyn smiled sadly at him before she embraced him. His hugs always made her feel very safe…and she could stay there forever if she really wanted to.

"When did I fall asleep?" she asked into his chest.

"You cried yourself to sleep in my arms. I left your brother a text message from your phone to tell him that you had gone home so he wouldn't freak out," Edward explained. "Then I just put you in bed and...well, I wasn't sure how you would react if you had woken up with me lying next to you after the incident so I decided to sit on the chair and watch you sleep."

Reyn smiled to herself but didn't reply. Then, a random thought came to her. "Wait…why are you even here?" she asked, pulling away from him to look into his face.

Edward raised an eyebrow. "Did you not want me here?"

Reyn shook her head. "That's not what I meant," she replied quickly. "I meant… why are you here in Sydney, risking being seen in the sun? What…what made you come?"

He was the one to divert his eyes away from her.

"Our fight over the phone," he said flatly.

She thought he would elaborate but he didn't, so she pursued it herself. "I don't understand…you flew all the way out here because of the fight we had?"

He inhaled deeply and looked out the window onto the beach. She wondered why it was that he needed to gather his courage to say what he wanted to say.

"I had no guarantee that you were going to come home," he said finally. "I was afraid that the argument, and specifically what it regarded, would make you stay here…especially since you aren't tied down for school anymore."

Reyn was a bit astonished. He had flown out to Sydney, risking the fact that he could reveal his nature by standing in the sun, just to ensure that she would come home. It was admirable…and it made her happy that he had that kind of blind devotion to her. At the same time, he was silly for thinking she'd never come back.

"And I know you," he continued. "After that fight, you cried. I know you did…. Having the fact that _I _was the reason for you crying was so heavy on my conscience that it was unbearable. I had to come…"

Reyn was still a little speechless but she smiled to herself. Edward turned to gaze at her and took her hand into his.

"I'm so sorry I made you cry."

"You don't have to apologize, Edward," said Reyn, touching his arm. "But…I would have come home. I could _never_ stay away from Forks. I'm just…I'm too emotionally tied down to it."

Edward chuckled briefly before falling silent. They sat there for a while, both in their own worlds of their minds. She had no clue how long they remained still on her bed when Reyn finally came out of her fetal position so she could get up to go to the bathroom.

A cold hand caught her by the wrist before she completely left the bed; she was standing but a lot of her weight was on the foot that was half on the mattress still. Reyn turned and found him looking very displeased. Before she could inquire what he wanted and what was wrong, he spoke.

"I care about you…more than you think I do."

It was a simple statement but he said it with the most sincere of feelings. It sent Reyn reeling in shock while she stared at him. She didn't know what to say…or what to do. She wasn't sure if he was telling her this because he _wanted _to move to the next level…or he was just stating a fact. Somehow, deep in her gut, she knew it was the latter of the two.

Edward released her wrist and he stood up as well. "But you were right…" he sighed. "I haven't healed yet from Bella. I cannot jump into a deeper relationship with you when I have so much baggage with me. I can't ask you to carry it for me because you already do too much for me as it is."

Reyn opened her mouth but then she decided to remain silent.

"I've already forced you, in many ways, to carry it just by making this ridiculous arrangement," he said, sounding a little angry with himself. "And it turns out, you were right again. I'm essentially a selfish creature… I always have been, even with Bella. It has always been about me in some form or another. This time, it's that I don't _want _to be in another relationship with a human because it wouldn't work…. There is too much at stake…it's too risky. I'd always stay young and you would begin to age…grow old. I don't know how I thought it could work with Bella; maybe I was too blinded by first love to really think it through."

He gazed down at her for a moment. Reyn felt tears beginning to form because her eyes were stinging painfully but she successfully held them back. She didn't want him to see her crying again. The reason she was beginning to cry was not that he was denying her or rejecting the idea of them being together as a couple, but because he was in pain realizing that he still couldn't let Bella go. She still had a firm hold on Edward's heart and Reyn was struggling to compete with her memory.

"Ultimately, I would ask you to change for me," he said. "I would want you to become a vampire…and stay with me for eternity…. I know myself well; I would be self-centered…only looking to gain something for myself…. And I would use every method of persuasion if you decided that you didn't want to change. I'd beg you if I had to."

Reyn could no longer keep quiet.

"I would-" she began.

"I know you would!" he snapped desperately, his eyes suddenly pleading. "You've already proven that you'd do anything for me. And that's the problem."

He moved away from her while pulling at his hair. Edward let out a noise of desolation while moving toward the balcony doors where a shaft of sunlight was shining through the open curtains. Reyn watched his skin reflect the light like a diamond would as Edward put his hands on the glass to lean against it.

A stray tear streaked her cheek.

"If we move too deep, I would want you to be a vampire because I'm so selfish when it comes to you…but I can't ask you to become a monster," he whispered. "With Bella, I was able to convince myself that her death would wound me but I'd be able to move on with time.

"But it's different with you, Reyn. The thought of you aging and dying…" he stopped. "I wouldn't be able to live…. So I'd turn you to keep you with me forever…. I probably would force it on you. I don't trust my self-control to leave you human if we were in deep, but if we just keep our relationship the way it is, I can barely live with the fact that you will eventually die."

He finally fell quiet but he didn't turn to look at her and she was glad because now she had no way of forcing back tears. It hurt beyond comprehension but she understood and she would never force him to do anything that he did not want to. She adored him deeply and that meant for her to support him in whatever he wanted.

"Please stop crying," Edward moaned to the balcony. She was a little surprised that he knew that. She wasn't even making a sound at all and her breath was very even.

"How…?" she said before she could stop herself.

He put his head against the warm glass. "I can hear your tears hitting the carpet…" he replied quietly, though he sounded like he was in agony.

Reyn wiped her tears away but it didn't do any good because they were only replaced by fresh ones. In a way, it wasn't fair. If he hadn't been a vampire…then none of this would be in question… but if he hadn't been a vampire…he would have died many years ago and that would be no life at all.

But they had come to their conclusion. They wouldn't pursue what they wanted. They would always wonder if they had missed out on the other…but at least, they would remain very close friends. Reyn could be somewhat satisfied with that.

"I care about you…more than you would ever know," she whispered. He finally turned to look at her. If he could cry, Reyn was sure that he would be doing so now.

"I know you do…" he said sadly. He walked towards her and reached for her face. "Stop crying…_please_."

Reyn laughed briefly. "Sorry," she replied, wiping them away again with the back of her hand. Edward smiled a beautiful smile but she could see the deep sadness that was behind his eyes. "Can you promise me something though?"

He very nearly frowned. "Of course."

"Just promise that this doesn't change too much between us," she said. "It may be a little awkward, I know…but I still want us to be able to be the best friends we are now."

Edward chuckled. "I promise, Reyn," he replied.

She grinned up at him and embraced him for a moment. The mood, although it was still a bit melancholy, lightened and Reyn knew that he was going to keep his promise. Yes, it would be a little hard to go back to the way they were completely but she was sure he would do anything in his power to remain as neutral as possible. She told herself to do the same and to always remain loyal to him…because Edward was worth it.

"Okay…well, I have to go – err – wash my face, I'll be right back," she said with a smile. Edward returned the look and she turned to walk away.

He didn't really think it through but he had to know something.

"Reyn, wait…" he said to her back. She stopped and looked around at him curiously.

The look in her cerulean eyes was so beautiful and he couldn't figure out why it had so much power over him. "What?" she asked with a playful smirk after he was staring at her for a while.

In second thought, he knew he shouldn't. "Never mind."

Reyn grimaced slightly before she went into the bathroom. Edward exhaled slowly, a little disappointed in himself, before he sat down in the middle of her bedroom. There were perfectly good chairs, a couch, and even a bed to use but he felt like the floor was the best place for him to think. He decided to lie down on his back with his arms out at his sides lazily while he closed his eyes and listened to Reyn's movements in the bathroom.

Her breathing was perfectly even and her heart was beating normally, not that it shouldn't be anyway. He tried to read her mind, as he always did when she was not directly and physically with him. However, he received the same mental wall that covered her mind just like it did the thousands of times before. The toilet flushed and Edward could hear the water run from the sink. Her footsteps across the tile floor were lighter than how most humans walked…but that was because she had learned to walk that way for various modeling and acting jobs. She sneezed.

"Bless you," Edward called, not moving.

"Thank you!" she replied back with a little laugh. After another minute she came out of the bathroom and stopped at the archway. It was a weird scene to see him just randomly lying on the floor in her room, especially since the sun was shining like no other. The rays didn't hit his skin, so he wasn't glowing or refracting light but it was a rarity to see him anywhere near sun altogether.

She laughed. "Um, what are you doing?" she asked while walking over to him.

"Thinking."

He could hear Reyn sit down right in next to him on his left side. Immediately, he opened his eyes to look up at her. She held the gaze for a while before she grinned a dorky grin. How easy it was for her to be happy after having a heavy discussion about why they could never be together romantically.

"Something weighing your mind?" she asked, a cute twinkle in her eyes. Edward hated that she could just effortlessly smile to make him talk about things he normally wouldn't. Edward sat up to look directly at her. To most, the direct eye contact would intimidate them, but Reyn held his gaze easily, use to how intense he could look.

"Actually, I wanted…" he paused, measuring her mood. "There's one thing that I don't want to miss out on. I …wanted to try something, if that's all right with you."

Reyn raised an eyebrow. "Uh?" she said confused though smiling slightly. "Okay."

He couldn't help but smirk. Edward moved closer to her and she instantly froze. He let out the briefest of a chuckle before his cold hand was touching her cheek.

This was also a test…. He had done it with Bella to see if he could resist the temptation of her blood; this was hardly any different. The only dissimilarity is that Reyn's scent was a thousand times stronger and better. Even so, Edward had been close to her in many different situations and he was able to remain unfazed outwardly.

Edward had to know if he was still tame…and what it was like to kiss her.

She was still motionless, her eyes locked with his own. His fingertips went down her neck and to her shoulder, leaving a trail of growing Goosebumps in its wake. He moved in closer and he could hear her breath catch in realization of what was going to happen. A glorious smirk was at his lips as he slowly came closer to her face. At the last second, he turned away from her to let his nose glide across her warm skin towards her ear.

"Breathe," he whispered in a smooth voice.

A ragged breath escaped from her lips and he chuckled again to himself. It was hardly fair that he could easily drive her crazy without having to do much.

The scent that radiated from her throat was overwhelmingly mouthwatering but he knew he was too submissive to his willpower to give in to the innate desire to taste her blood. However, just because he was denying himself of it did not mean that he could not at least enjoy the thought of it. She felt his nose stop at the hollow of her throat and she could hardly keep her breathing even as she closed her eyes.

She couldn't bring herself to feel afraid… it was impossible. Reyn felt his cool breath against her chest when he exhaled slowly and she shivered a little. He breathed her in deeply, his eyes closed and listening to the beat of her heart drum faster in his ears. Edward couldn't help but smirk once more.

His lips touched the base of her throat gently. She gasped quietly as he kissed his way up her neck to just below her ear. Edward felt her hands grip the front of his shirt in anticipation while his nose glided across her jaw line towards her lips again.

Edward hesitated. Reyn wondered if he was trying to create the building moment before the kiss…to make the entire event memorable. She knew it would be; there was no question in her mind that she would not remember this forever.

Carefully, he touched her petal soft lips with his own and he felt her breathe him in. After a moment, he pulled away slightly, deciding if he had gotten enough of what he wanted…. She decided for him and kissed his lips once more, parting her lips slightly.

He remained as gentle as he knew he had to be but that also meant he had to stay slow to keep himself in check…but she moved closer to him, as if they weren't close enough as it was. Edward knew she was looking for a little more than what he was giving…and he had every desire to fulfill her needs. Neither wanted to stop…neither wanted to lose this moment.

Edward couldn't resist her. She was obviously well practiced in the art of kissing. All her motions were sending him in a state of passionate frenzy and he had to remember to be soft so he wouldn't crush her bones, especially her skull…. However, Reyn was making it very difficult for him, not just with her blatant expertise but her scent was getting stronger by the second and was begging to be noticed.

He felt her move, never breaking away from him, and she sat in his lap, her arms laced around his neck. Without thinking, he pulled her closer, her body unbelievably warm. His fingers ran across the silky skin of her lower back where her shirt did not cover. At his touch, a mild wave of pleasure shot through her body and she struggled to regain her breath.

Then…he was bold.

It caught Reyn off guard when he sneakily slipped his tongue past her parted lips. She could feel the smug smirk he had on his face and she couldn't help but let a little smile cross her own. Unlike the rest of him, his tongue did not have the same marble feel…but it was still icy to the touch. He knew exactly what he was doing…and he was good at it. His passion shined through every movement he made and Reyn was already lost into a world of fervor and desire. She knew she wouldn't be the one to stop.

His self-control was waning; he was losing himself. Edward knew that he there was only so much human he had in him and the boundaries between vampire and human were not meant to be crossed, even though he wanted her so much. He knew that if he didn't act soon, he would never be able to turn back.

Edward jerked away quickly, leaving Reyn breathless. After a moment, he gently pushed her off him. Both stared at the other for what seemed like an eternity. He then broke out into an impish grin. "Well, _that_ was an experience…" he said playfully. Reyn was still too in shock to reply. Edward rolled his eyes good-naturedly and but there was still a mischievous glint there. Her scent was almost too strong for him to ignore but he fought it back successfully. If only she knew how close he was from killing her…maybe then she would stay away from him…but then again, she _did _know to some degree…and she still stayed.

Her dedication was admirable…and foolish.

"If there was one thing that I didn't want to miss out on," he said slowly, "kissing you was at the top of my list…. I had to know what it was like to kiss you…while you're awake."

Reyn finally blushed. "Oh," she said lamely. "Wait…what? While I'm _awake?"_

He chuckled. "Well, this isn't the only time I've succumbed to the temptation to kiss you…. You had been asleep the first time."

She gaped at him. "Oh my god," was the only thing she could utter.

They stared at one another again. He resisted the urge to touch her but it was nearly as hard as resisting the desire to kill her for her blood.

"How-how did you…_do_ that?" she said in mystification. "Wasn't it hard…?"

He smirked. "Mind over matter."

"You have a strong mind," she whispered, impressed.

Edward chuckled. "I'd like to think so," he said airily. "Lucky for you that I do."

She smiled slightly before looking away, embarrassed.

"Why don't you go shower now?" he said to relieve her.

"Uhh….okay? Sure," she said in some sort of a daze and she started to rise to a stand. He put his hand behind her head and brought her closer to him one last time. He placed his lips on hers for a couple of moments before he pulled away and rested his forehead against hers. Their noses brushed against each other while both kept their eyes closed, listening to the other breathe.

"I am so very sorry…" he whispered. "This isn't how I wanted it to turn out."

He didn't have to open his eyes to know that she was smiling sadly. "I know." She touched his face with her soft hand.

Another minute slipped by before she stood up. She knew she had to disengage herself before both made rash decisions in the heat of the moment. Reyn swayed a little while she walked towards the bathroom, probably from the dizzy feeling of what had just happened. Edward smiled to himself from the floor, glad that he had kissed her. He didn't regret it, despite his better judgments.

He hoped he was making the right decisions.

* * *

A black and white Dodge Viper squealed into the parking lot at the local beach, causing pedestrians to look around at the noise. It whipped around the corner and skidded into a space to park all within a few seconds. Whoever was driving the car was a talented driver and had quick reflexes.

Aiden La Pierre climbed out of the driver's seat and slipped his dark aviator shades over his eyes, aware that a few people were staring avidly at him. He was meeting up with a few of his friends here so they could scout out any hot ladies along the beach. Luckily, since he was a bit of a celebrity, it would make it easier for girls to come to them. At least, that was his objective before…but now he had a minor mix-up he needed to settle for his own sanity's sake. He pulled off his t-shirt, revealing his tan, lean torso, and tossed the shirt into the passenger side of the vehicle before locking it.

He crossed the lot while running a hand through his messy, dark hair with its strange blood red streaks through it and when his flip-flops hit the sand, he sank a bit. He saw the five guys he was looking for not far off from where he was standing and he made his way over them. They were standing around, pointing no doubt at some girls that were sunbathing.

Andrew Krasnigor was one of the guys there.

Guilty parties act as such…and Drew definitely seemed guilty. He didn't even acknowledge Aiden when he came up to them and he went very quiet. Aiden noticed that Andrew had what looked like a light bruise on the left side of his jaw and a slightly dark bruise around his neck. Drew also had various cuts all across his arms and legs.

"Great party last night, right?" Aiden said after they all caught up on some of the girls that were on the beach. Out of the corner of his eye, Drew stiffened slightly.

The guys all replied boisterously that it was…all except Andrew.

"It was hot, hot, _hot!" _said Chase with a laugh.

Nick agreed. "Dude, I totally hooked up with these two girls…. Man, it was the best night of my life!"

"Wait, like a threesome?" said Darren with an impressed air. Nick said that it was and the guys all congratulated him on his manliness. However, Andrew remained silent.

"Anything happen to you, Drew? _Get any action?"_ Aiden asked with a dark undertone in his voice while turning his head to look directly at him. Andrew shifted his weight uncomfortably and replied that he didn't.

The guys laughed. "The only _action_ he got was a fist fight with some guy upstairs," said Tyler promptly, clapping Andrew on the back. "It apparently involved mirrors and it was over some _girl_. He lost but hey, we win some and lose some, right?"

Andrew laughed nervously and Aiden didn't laugh at all.

"Was this guy big?" he asked Andrew. Aiden felt his anger begin to bubble, seeing that this conversation was going nowhere good and fast.

"Uh…he was a little taller than me, yeah," said Andrew quickly, not meeting Aiden's eyes. "He was thin though…and really pale."

Aiden didn't need to hear anymore than that to know that Edward had been telling the truth. He wanted to shoot himself in the foot. He had been so stubborn…and now Reyn probably hated him for not believing that one of his so-called "friends" had almost raped her. Anger boiled within Aiden and without warning, he decked Drew squarely in the face. Andrew flew back and hit the sand while clutching his nose.

"Aiden!" shouted one of the guys in shock. Drew moaned in pain and between his fingers, a little bit of blood was seeping through. Aiden, with fury running rampant in his veins, jumped onto Andrew and punched a few more times him in the face.

Two pairs of hands wrenched him off Drew. _"You raped my sister!"_ shouted Aiden trying to shake off the guys holding him back. He managed to loosen the hold on his right arm and he attempted to rush at Drew again. He didn't make it close enough to punch him so the first thing that came to mind was to spit on him. It was a low, dirty move but Aiden could not have cared any less than he did now.

Tyler and Darren helped Drew to a stand but were extremely confused. They kept asking what was going on to Andrew but he was still recovering from the blows to his nose. Chase and Nick struggled to keep Aiden from attacking Andrew; they managed to restrain him while people in the general vicinity were now curious as to what was happening.

"You sick bastard!" Aiden said, trying to get at his throat. "You're dead!"

"I was drunk!" snapped Andrew, angry that he was decked in the face. Blood dripped down his chin and to his neck. "It just sort of happened…"

Aiden lunged forward and nearly broke free from Nick and Chase's hold. "That's not a fucking excuse!" he yelled. "She's my sister and you _raped _her."

"I _didn't_ fucking rape her!" Andrew shouted back. By now, he looked ready to fight Aiden so Tyler and Darren now had to restrain him too. "That fucking guy came out of no where before anything serious happened."

Aiden trembled with unimaginable rage. "You still violated her…" he growled. _"I'll kill you!"_

"Guys!" yelled Darren. "Stop it!"

Chase kept telling Aiden to relax and to let it go. "Shut the fuck up, Chase!" Aiden snapped. "What if Drew fingered-fucked _your _little sister? Would you let him get off so easily if it were Chelsea instead of Reyn!"

Chase didn't know what to say but he knew that Aiden was right. He released his hold on Aiden's left arm. Nick wasn't about to keep a hold on him without help so he let go as well. However, Aiden did not rush for Andrew like they thought he would.

A crowd was starting to form but beach security was undoubtedly on their way to break this up and Aiden didn't feel like dealing with the law.

"I swear, if I _ever_ see your face again, I will fuck you up," hissed Aiden right in Andrew's face. Tyler and Darren had released Andrew but the four guys were ready to grab a hold on the two if they needed to.

Andrew shoved Aiden back, pissed off beyond all belief. Aiden thought about decking him but he decided to leave it alone and began to walk off after picking up his sunglasses up from the sand.

"She liked it and she knows it," Andrew shot without thinking. Aiden froze on the spot. It was almost an insult but it was close enough.

"Probably the worst thing you could've said," Aiden said to himself before rounding on Andrew and dashing towards him. Andrew tried to punch him but Aiden blocked the blow with his arm and landed his fist right in the jaw. Andrew stumbled into the people behind him before they pushed him back into the fight.

Andrew was a bigger guy than Aiden was, although Aiden was also much faster. They were both the same height but Drew probably had about thirty to fifty pounds extra on him from muscle. Drew lifted weights and went to the gym, Aiden surfed and ran.

Aiden did not manage to come out of the fight unscathed. Drew managed to get a good hit in the cheek on Aiden. But the surfer was in a feral rage. More than anything, he wanted Drew to suffer for what he had done to Reyn. Aiden wanted him dead…no, tortured then dead.

He had Andrew on the ground again but he wasn't taking shots at his head anymore. Instead, Aiden had his hands around his throat, choking him. At this, the other guys jumped in again and pulled Aiden off Drew so Drew would not suffocate.

"Hey!" bellowed a voice over the shouting and cheering of the small crowd that had formed around them. "Break it up! Get out of here!"

It was beach security and Aiden knew he would have to back off. He turned on his heel and walked off to his car, tuning out every voice that called his name. Aiden had no idea where he was going to go but he knew that he was too volatile to remain there near Drew.

Otherwise, he might kill him…

* * *

Edward dug the stake in the sand easily and stood back to admire his handiwork. It was a large, red canopy right on the beach in the estate's backyard. Luckily, the estate claimed about a mile of beach so it was highly unlikely that anyone would come onto the property and catch him glowing and shining like a diamond. Plus, he would be able to hear anyone's thoughts about a couple miles out so that would give him an extra edge to duck under the shade of the canopy and the two umbrellas.

He pitched some chairs for them to lounge in and laid out towels on them as well before he went back inside to borrow some of Aiden's shorts.

The kid had quite the selection. Edward, after carefully considering all the different options while taking into account the length, the material, color, and style of each pair, chose a simple pair of black and white Lakai shorts made of sturdy yet light material. He continued down the hall and went into Reyn's bedroom, hearing water run.

Reyn had decided that she wanted to teach Edward how to surf.

He went up to the bathroom's archway and into the bathroom where Reyn, in a black bikini top and long boardshorts, was bending over the tub, shaving her legs. "You almost ready?" he asked. She looked up, surprised that he was there, and replied that she was nearly finished.

"Just give me another two minutes tops," she said, eyes twinkling.

"Sure…I'll change in your room."

He got dressed, listening to the gentle scraping of the sharp razor against her legs. He didn't see why it was necessary because he knew that she barely had grown any leg hair when he looked this morning…but Reyn had made it very clear that she wasn't going outside until she shaved. He laughed to himself; the human needs seemed a bit wasteful of time but he wasn't about to harass her for it.

Just as he pulled his shirt off, he heard her gasp and the razor clattered into the empty bathtub. Half a second later, the scent of her blood crashed over him like a wrecking ball. He swayed in shock, his throat scorching with thirst. The scent was so powerful…. The monster he had held back for so long roared forth from the dark depths of his mind and he was lost to the desire to satiate his dehydration of that potent blood. He remembered how it tasted…how energized he was after just one mouthful of it….

"Shit!" Reyn said in a panic and she slammed the door to the toilet room. Edward heard the lock click.

_Did she really think that would keep her safe…?_

He took a step forward to dash towards his seemingly fragile prey when his conscious screamed. Edward stopped short, reeling in confusion.

He didn't have to be the monster he claimed he was. He knew he could resist this if he put his mind to it. He had done it with Bella, he could do it now. This was just a test…a God given test to see if he could resist the temptation. It was test of his strength.

_Mind over matter…_he repeated to himself as he stood rooted to the spot. He could hear Reyn's heart pounding, waiting to be slain. He could hear her pray, little bits of sentences coming out as whispers. Her blood's scent was overwhelming…especially now that it was in open air. But he had to withstand this!

"Please," he heard her say quietly. "Please…God…give him the strength."

Edward was surprised that she wasn't praying to be saved but had worded it to where she was asking for _him _to remain strong. Even when she was verging on her death, she still thought of others. How typical for her.

But he couldn't kill his best friend; he found he was just too human.

Edward took a deep breath but didn't exhale and walked slowly towards the bathroom. With every step, he felt like his throat was going to explode and he wasn't sure if Reyn was going to be able to make it.

But the thought of her dying made him sick. He knew that was the only reason that kept him in check…because to lose Reyn, was losing his own life. She _was_ his life and he wasn't about to be the cause for her death. The power of her blood was strong, but his willpower was stronger. He wouldn't choose the losing side her in the battle between his morals and conscious…and his innate physical makeup to kill.

Her breaths were heavy and shaky. When Edward reached to door, he knocked and he heard her inhale sharply. "Are you okay?" he asked in an attempt to sound neutral and calm. It was a struggle but he was sure she wouldn't pick up the tiny amount of trembling in his voice; her hearing wasn't that good.

"Yeah, I'm fine!" she replied quickly. "Jus-just leave! I'll clean it up and I'll meet you outside."

Edward, despite himself, rolled his eyes. Of course, she was also the independent one who claimed she did just fine without help. "Open the door."

There was no reply from the other side. She was scared. _Good, _Edward thought dryly, _at least she is sensible enough to know she's in danger._

_Maybe if I don't answer him, he'll think I didn't hear him…_he heard her think. That was a little random…but then again, any thoughts that came from her were at the most random times anyway. He tried to press into her mind but he found that block again and he instantly desisted on trying to pry into it.

"Reyn, I'll stand here all day if I have to, you know I will," he said with minor irritation. He really shouldn't be getting irritated with her though at a time like this. "Nothing is going to happen either."

There was a pause. "You honestly expect me to believe you…?" she replied, trying to sound unconcerned. She wasn't very believable. "You're a vampire, for Christ's sake!"

"Thank you, Captain Obvious," he said to the door. "Besides, you know very well I could wrench this door off its hinges with next to no effort so it's plainly obvious that I'm under control and I'm not going to attack you."

She didn't move from where she was sitting in the room. He rolled his eyes again. "You have to trust me," he said firmly.

There was not a reply for a few moments. "Okay…" she said in defeat. "I trust you."

He heard her sigh, stand up, and walk cautiously over to the door. A waft of her blood scent seeped through the door and Edward stiffened defensively. She was hesitating; Edward could see the shadow of her figure between the small gap from the tile to the bottom of the door. After a minute, the lock clicked once more to signify that it was unlocked but she didn't open it.

Edward took a moment to bring himself under even tighter control before he turned the doorknob slowly. He opened the door and found her staring at him carefully while backed against the wall next to the toilet. She was on the floor, clutching her bleeding ankle. He stepped towards her, the scent of her blood screaming to be tasted but he ignored it, keeping a gentle smile on his face for her.

Once the gap between them closed, he squat down next to her and the toilet. Reyn kept her hand over her ankle, making sure not to meet his eyes. Edward was glad that she didn't; she might be more fearful if she were to look into his eyes and see a barely controlled frenzy there.

"Let me see," he said, reaching out to pull her hand away.

"No."

She didn't sound very confident and it made him chuckle. It caught Reyn off guard that he could be laughing at the seriousness of this situation. "Don't be so stubborn," he said, pulling her hand off her leg.

The second her hand came away, the last fresh wave of her blood's scent crested over him. Edward stopped, her hand still in his, as he stared at the flesh wound that was dripping with her blood. He closed his eyes to rein in the monster; he wasn't going to lose now…he had come too far.

The monster chided him but Edward beat it back. There was no way for it to win…there was too much history with Reyn for him to lose to the monster now. With that sudden realization of knowing that he would never kill her, the potency of her blood seemed to diminish. Yes, it still smelled unbelievably delicious but the instinctive desire to quench his thirst, to taste the blood was gone.

He really had won…and only by the power of his own mind.

Her heart was pounding in her chest and he was glad that she was finally feeling the terror that she should feel at _all_ times when she was with him. She understood the danger she was in. Well…now that he was no longer under the spell of his inner demons, there was no risk anymore.

"Edward…?" she whispered, her body quivering.

He opened his eyes and grinned at her. "I am much stronger than I thought."

Reyn's deer-in-headlights look vanished in a second to be replaced by a confused one. "What?" she asked. Edward laughed to himself and looked down at her hand that was covered in her blood.

"Well, I think this was a test…" he said delicately, more to himself than to her. "And…I passed. It was hard, but I still managed to resist."

Reyn didn't understand entirely what was going on with him but she wasn't going to keep asking questions. She was still alive, which was a little surprising.

"Your little prayer was answered…" he whispered, gazing at her. "And you've proven that He does exist."

She was too in a state of shock to have anything to say to him and continued to stare while he smiled at her. Reyn didn't know entirely what he had to go through just to make it to this point but she was glad that she had escaped with her life…and that God _had _answered her plea.

He reached for the toilet paper roll and pulled out a long strip before he tied it around her ankle to stem a little of the flow of blood. "I don't understand," Reyn said in a low voice. "How…did you stop?"

"Mind over matter," he repeated, glancing up at her with a smirk.

"It must have been hard."

Edward could not help but laugh aloud. "If only you knew," he replied simply.

She couldn't think of anything that would be of any particular use to say so she remained quiet. He picked up her blood covered hand again with another wad of toilet paper before he stopped to look at it.

"Can I try something?" he asked. Reyn nodded automatically.

Edward lifted her hand up to his face. She knew immediately what he was going to do. However, the clarity in his eyes gave her assurance that he wasn't going to lose his sanity.

"Should I be scared…?"

His eyes shifted to hers. "No…not anymore," he whispered with a smile she had never seen on his face before. It was as gentle as any…but it radiated assurance and confidence, as if he was finally…_okay _with what he was.

Reyn let him bring her hand to his lips. He paused for a second before breathing in deeply. Edward closed his eyes and she stiffened a little when she felt his tongue glide up her palm and over her ring finger. She wondered when the fear would begin to overtake her body but it never did; it only faded away.

He pulled her hand away and opened his eyes. Reyn could see her dark blood on his lips. It was a blatant contrast because he was so pale. This sight of him should have been terrifying but Edward still looked as though he had a face of an angel, blood on him or not. He savored the taste, knowing he may never taste something so good again for all eternity when his eyes met hers for a moment. She was watching him curiously and it made him regain his consciousness again. Edward averted his eyes away hastily. "I'm sorry," he said quickly, licking the remaining blood away from his lips. "I must look like a monster…"

Edward was surprised to find an upset sort of look on her face. "Don't say that," she said quietly, tightening her hold his hand. "You're everything but a monster."

He laughed bitterly. "Well," he said with a dry smile. "I can resist…I'm sure that I will never doubt myself again on this subject…. Alice is going to kill me for that."

"Yeah," said Reyn with a grin. "She probably will."

Edward glanced down at her still bleeding ankle and looked at it carefully. It was a fairly large cut; it was about an inch and a half long, and almost as wide as the razor. "Seriously, Reyn!" he exclaimed. "Were you _trying_ to slice off half your leg?"

She laughed sheepishly as he went to get some cleaning alcohol, a cotton swab, and a large, waterproof band-aid. Reyn hopped out of the bathroom to sit on the tub's counter edge while Edward rummaged through the medicine cabinet.

He dumped half the bottle of alcohol on her cut, shaking his head the whole time. "I'm not sure I can trust you with a razor blade anymore," he said teasingly. "If you want to carve out a small portion of your leg, I'd suggest a knife."

"Oh, haha…" Reyn replied sarcastically, hitting him on the shoulder playfully. He glanced up at her and she noticed something.

His eyes were red again.

Edward placed the waterproof band-aid with designs of stars on it over her bleeding wound and looked up to find her watching him intently. "What?"

"Your eyes."

He had been in the middle of cleaning up his mess when he stopped. "They're red…aren't they?" he said from the floor. She nodded and he looked away from her.

Warm fingers touched his chin and she guided his face to turn towards hers. Reyn stared into the unfamiliar eyes with interest and a vague bit of caution. "So…they change when you drink human blood?"

She still was examining his eyes when he replied. "Yes."

"Interesting…" she said honestly, releasing his chin. "So, when you're drinking animal blood, it's more of an amber color and when it's human, it's red. That's cool…and a little freaky."

Edward couldn't help but laugh. "Well, I _am _a freak."

Reyn rolled her eyes and inspected her leg. "It changed so quickly though."

He shrugged. "I don't really have an explanation for that one."

"Well, aren't you helpful?" she said sarcastically as he stood up to throw away the swabs. It finally hit her that he was shirtless and she couldn't help but stare behind his back. If she were the type to swoon and drool, she would be doing so now. When Edward turned back around, she lowered her eyes to play it off like she hadn't been staring avidly at his sinewy, lean, clean-cut body.

"Are you still up for surfing?" he asked, smiling.

Reyn scoffed. "Psh," she said with a mocking laugh. "You think nearly losing my life from a ravenous vampire is gonna keep me from the waves? It was only a minor setback."

Edward laughed but rolled his eyes. "Minor, she says so thoughtlessly," he sighed to himself. "When will she learn?"

"Never."

Her eyes had never twinkled as adoringly as they did now.


	11. Impossible

**Author's Note: This also was put in as somewhat as a filler chapter. Bella makes an appearance. I despise her. ahahah the whore. loolol. just kidding! ^_^ I hope you have been enjoying the story. I've worked so hard on it. on my Microsoft Word document, this story is 145 pages so far (including chapters up to 17.) It's in 12 font, times new roman, and single spaced...so it's pretty epic in size. haha aanyways, please enjoy yourselves!**

**I do not own Twilight anything. just my OCs  
**

Chapter Eleven: Impossible

"_Hey, have you _seen_ Reyn La Pierre? She sits three seats behind me in my AP English class. She's so gorgeous. Dude, I wish she'd go out with me," said a boy to one of his friends as they walked past me. I was waiting for Bella to come out of the bathroom as I listened to all the noise and thoughts about Reyn and Aiden La Pierre. It was really quite trivial…but it was like Bella all over again…times a hundred._

"_Psh, she's _way_ out of your league, Craig!" replied the other guy. "Aiden La Pierre is in Melanie's AP anatomy class. They're really smart. They've gotta be graduating a year early."_

_I lost interest and turned my thoughts to someone else. _What the hell? I haven't even seen Reyn or Aiden La Pierre at all today! This sucks, _thought a girl from the bathroom. I immediately pulled away from her thoughts. _

_I rolled my eyes at the stupidity of human obsession. There was a huge uproar about these two twins coming to Forks High School. I don't really know anything about celebrities but apparently, these twins are extremely famous…. Which made me wonder why they are going to finish up their education in a school in the middle of nowhere and in the wettest city of America. I was half-expecting the paparazzi to show up sometime and start shooting photos of these two kids._

_I could smell Bella's scent strongly and I knew she was coming out. She smiled at me when she came into sight and took my hand in hers. We went to the cafeteria to find Alice but I already knew Alice was occupied with something so I went straight to the lunch line so I could buy Bella's food. She didn't protest against the healthy meal I was creating for her._

_When we turned towards the table we normally sat at, I saw Alice chatting away with a girl with similar hair to hers. She was very pretty, even if I compared her to vampire standards. She seemed to like Alice, whomever she was and she was grinning a very pretty smile._

_Of course, Alice _had _to befriend the celebrity._

_But I'm sure that I've seen her before. I'm almost _positive_ that I've seen her somewhere before. The problem was that I couldn't be very sure _where _I had…. And I know I've never seen her before now… yet I'm sure I _had_. I knew I've never seen her in any magazines or on T.V. because I never watched T.V. or read any trash magazines. Now I was very confused. My memory should not be fading…I'm a vampire, for Heaven's sake!_

"_Who's that?" asked Bella somewhere beside me. I pulled out of my minor reverie and looked down at her. She hadn't seen me staring at the girl, which is good because Bella might have mistaken it as me "checking out," as these teenagers call it these days, the celebrity, because that was certainly _not _what I was doing. Bella had been staring at her just as much as I was._

"_Reyn La Pierre."_

_I was surprised at the small intake of breath that Bella had taken. She never really cared for celebrities either so I was shocked at her reaction. "Wow…she is _really_ pretty," said Bella quietly. "I thought everyone was over-exaggerating but they really weren't at all."_

_Before we were a quarter of the way there, some guy approached Alice and Reyn. It was easy to see that he was her twin because they both had short hair that was dark…except for the strange blood red streaks through it. He was definitely full of himself; I could see that much as I observed him walking up to the two girls. When the kid approached Alice and his sister, I saw Alice stiffen defensively while still keeping her perfect smile on her face. What the heck?_

Wow, who is this chick? Damn, Reyn always makes the hottest friends, _thought Reyn's twin. I snorted quietly to myself and Bella looked up at me, confused. I shook my head as we continued towards them._

_A few more steps and something weird happened._

_Two overpowering scents crashed over me and I was so taken aback that I stumbled. Both fought for dominance and completely washed away Bella's scent, pushing it aside from my senses as if it were nothing. My mind sort of disappeared and the monster that was always dormant in my body roared forth. I didn't understand. One scent was really light, almost…fruity, which I could only assume was the girl's scent…and then there was the heavier, musky smell of the boy. Both were so delicious…so enticing…both equally powerful that neither dominated the other._

_Bella's scent had been so hard to overcome…but _these_ two were screaming to be tasted. These scents were a thousand times stronger and better than Bella's and I had struggled so much with hers. _

_The tray of food slipped from my hands and its contents fell to the floor but I hardly noticed. I was just staring at the two twins in blind anger… and hunger. I heard Bella say something to me but I have no idea what she said because I was so lost in my thirst. By now, I'm sure everyone was watching me lose control. How did Alice resist them was this much ease? How did she just ignore these scents?_

_This was almost the identical reaction I had had when I first smelled Bella. I could hear the monster shrieking in my head, wanting desperately to taste the blood I smelled. It was so hard to beat it back and I found myself reeling in confusion. I was angry though. Why did _I_ have to be tested to no end? What did I do to deserve this? And _why _on Earth did have to be these two twins…these celebrities of American and Australian society have to be the ones whose scent is so mouthwatering? WHY? If I killed them, all Hell would break loose in the media that they were found dead with bite marks on their necks. This was hardly fair…_

_Alice was staring at me with blank eyes. In a flash, I could see her thoughts and the vision she was having. I could see me, sitting at the very table in front of me, having a very normal conversation with the twins, and not attacking them. This slightly amused me. Did Alice not see that I was in a losing battle –?_

_

* * *

_

"Edward!" Reyn shouted from the water. He snapped out of his memories and gazed out into the cresting waves where Reyn was sitting on her surfboard.

It had been three days since the Andrew incident.

She was doing better; she wasn't very depressed at all. Reyn had remained very optimistic and light-hearted, much to his surprise. He had been prepared to deal with any of the aftermath of what had happened but it had never come.

Reyn paddled back to shore before she ran with surfboard towards the canopy. "Are you going to join me _sometime_ today?" she teased, pitching her surfboard into the sand. She took the beach chair beside him. Her scent was extra pleasing now, since she had been in the water and for whatever reason, the salt water of the ocean made her smell even better. However, unlike the first day he had seen her, the monster had been beaten to submission and Edward didn't hear it beg to be fed.

"Of course," he said with a smile. "I was letting you have the beach to yourself for a while. I was going to join in a few minutes."

She snorted but she was grinning at him. "You're such a liar."

Edward raised an eyebrow. He had always been an excellent liar. He didn't see how she could tell that he was. "How so?" he asked.

"Because I was watching you for the last five minutes and you were staring at the sand, zoned out on God knows what," she explained, shaking her head out.

There was no way he could deny it.

"You're right," he replied finally. "I'm sorry."

She smiled. "Mind tell me what was on your mind?" she asked. Edward looked out over the water again before answering.

"I had hated you when I first met you…" he admitted.

Reyn surprisingly laughed. "I figured you did. When I saw you on my first day of school, you were glaring at me like you wanted to kill me…which I guess you did, now that I think about it."

"It's not really a laughing matter," said Edward even though he felt his lips pull into a small smile. "There was a very good chance that I would have killed you that day."

"Good to know," she replied airily. "Well, I haven't died yet so I think you're okay."

"Key word there is 'yet,'" he teased, rising to a stand. There wasn't anyone around and he couldn't pick up on any minds that were close in range so he knew he was safe to step out into the sun. He easily pulled out Aiden's surfboard from the sand and pulled off his shirt.

When he looked back down at Reyn, she was looking in the opposite direction while she scratched the back of her head, embarrassed. "Someone's embarrassed…" Edward said jokingly after a moment when she glanced up at him before averting her eyes away when she realized he was looking at her.

"I'm sorry!" she snapped, picking up her surfboard. "It doesn't get any less distracting so lay off."

She avoided looking at him and ran for the water, leaving a smirking Edward behind her. He turned to pick up his board again when his cell phone vibrated from the wooden table beside him. He knew it wouldn't be his family unless it was an emergency but curiosity got the better of him and he looked down at it.

The caller I.D. shocked him.

* * *

I held my cell phone up with the number I remembered so easily on the screen…. I hadn't pushed the send key so the call could be placed. I heard that Edward was in Australia for a vacation…at least, that was the rumor going around. I doubted it though. I mean, why would he want to go to a place where the sun is always shining? He could be discovered…so that's unlikely.

I wondered if it would be extremely weird to call up my ex-boyfriend – my _vampire_ ex-boyfriend – and ask him to meet me in the place where we had begun our relationship…and ultimately ended it.

The truth was…I missed Edward. I missed the complete devotion he had had for me and I missed the protection he had promised me. I missed his very charming aura and his gentle kisses that sent me wild with ecstasy. I missed how happy I was with him…because I still loved him.

Then I felt the guilt hit my throat like a bullet ripping through flesh. I did still love Edward…but my heart belonged to Jacob too. I couldn't betray either of them…and yet I did. I betrayed my first love…. It had pained me so much to leave him…it had killed me inside to realize that my feelings for Jacob had bloomed in the time of Edward's absence from my life. I pushed the thought of those long, agonizing months of deep depression without him away from my mind.

The reason I'm calling him though isn't because I miss him…. I'm calling Edward because I have a friend that I have to protect. I had been debating if for the last few weeks and the truth is, I can no longer sit on the sidelines and watch another girl suffer the torment that I had…. Which is not to say that I think Edward is going to do anything bad; that's the last thing I would think…I am just worried about the other vampires that will try to kill her because of vengeance or something along those lines. I, out of anyone else, would know about the threats of the vampires that did not abstain from human blood.

Reyn does not deserve to be hurt. I just want to keep her safe.

I know she hates me more than anything too…and I guess, it's understandable. She hates me because I left Edward in a terrible state of misery, no doubt…and I know that she loves him. It's so obvious and in a way, it makes me angry that Edward moved on so quickly. Although, I hardly think Reyn's anger is justified. She didn't understand that danger she was so willingly letting herself be in.

My cell phone finally went black after not being used so I had to redial the number again. This time, I didn't hesitate to push the call button. If Jacob knew that I was about to talk to Edward behind his back…he'd kill me. Hopefully, Jake won't find out.

But I have to do what I think is right.

It rung only one and a half times; this was not unusual for Edward. "Hi, Bella," he said, obviously surprised that I was calling him. I could hear a lot of white noise in the background but I was a little confused because it wasn't raining right now.

"Uh, hi," I said lamely.

"Is everything okay?" he asked. Of course, he automatically assumes I'm in some sort of trouble. He really hasn't changed much…but then again, he has been living for at least a century…he wouldn't change so easily.

"Yeah," I replied quickly. "I was…well, uh… ho-how are you?"

I felt like an idiot for just stammering away like I had but he didn't seem to notice that I was nervous. "I'm doing well, thank you. I'm actually on vacation in Australia. How are you?" he asked, sounding truly interested, but then again, Edward was a very good liar. However, it _was _true that he was in Australia…. That was surprising.

"Oh, I'm…fine. Thanks," I said before I hesitated to say the reason why I called. "Actually, I was just wondering if I could talk to you…." I left the "in person" part out because that was now obviously impossible.

There was a moment of silence, minus what I figured was the noise of waves on the beach, on the other end and when he finally answered me, he sounded tentative. "Okay. What did you want to talk about…?"

I could hear the noise of the waves begin to fade away and I figured he was walking away from the beach. I felt bad.

"Well…I wanted…" I didn't really know where to start. I knew exactly what I wanted to get at but now beginning it seemed like a daunting task. What was I supposed to say? Stop hanging around Reyn or else? It's not like I am much of a threat to him. I mean, I guess I could set the pack on him but I don't think they would listen to me. They don't want to start a war…and I don't really blame them either.

I should've planned this better.

But I had to do this for Reyn's sake. If she won't do it for herself, then someone had to…and I suppose that task fell into my lap. Trust me, it's not like I _want _to ruin their lives.

I just want to protect her.

* * *

Reyn glanced over her shoulder as she paddled out to the waves to see if Edward was following her. Upon looking, she saw him walking back towards the house to duck under the porch, his hand to his ear. _He must be on the phone…_she thought, before returning her attention back to surfing.

However, out of curiosity, she turned herself around to watch him talk on the phone to see if she could figure out whom he was talking to. He was motionless for a while, obviously only listening to what the other person had to say. Reyn snorted to herself. This wasn't very helpful if he was going to stand there like a statue. His back wasn't turned to her but he also wasn't facing her so she wondered if he knew that she was watching him intently. It didn't seem like he did…or cared.

After about six minutes of watching him stare at nothing but the expanse of sand before him, Reyn had had enough and laid herself back on her board to swim to shore….

She put her board against the lounge chair before striding up purposefully towards Edward. He glanced at her before he murmured something and ended the call. Reyn was suspicious now. "Who was that?" she asked innocently.

He hesitated. "Bella…" he said slowly.

Reyn raised an eyebrow, confused and wary at the same time. "Bella? What did she want?"

"Don't worry about it," he replied with a gentle smile. Reyn frowned.

"Oh, so you're not going to tell me?" she pressed. His smile faded off his face.

"It was nothing…"

"Well, if it was 'nothing' than there wouldn't be an issue of you telling me, now would there?" Reyn said, her voice riding on iciness. Edward picked that up and willed himself to remain neutral…although he was a little irritated.

"She just wanted to talk."

Reyn knew that he wasn't about to elaborate and her own aggravation sparked because he was obviously trying to hide something from her. She wouldn't have been so irritated if it had been any other girl on the phone but because it was _Bella…_she was a little concerned.

And perhaps a little overprotective.

But how was she supposed to help that? Edward was her best friend…and she loved him. Reyn was bound to be a little defensive.

"Okay…fine, don't tell me…" she replied before she shoved past him to go into the house. She pushed the glass door forcefully to her left before Edward's cold hand gripped her upper arm to impede her progress. She snapped her head around to glare at him.

"Oh, stop it, Reyn," he said. "Don't you think you're acting a bit childish?"

She jerked her arm away from him. "No, I think that I'm being very reasonable," Reyn said, slamming the screen door in his face. "You're just being secretive, as you _always _are, and not telling me what the hell Bella wanted!"

With that, she turned on her heel and went upstairs to more than likely take a shower. Edward exhaled slowly to himself.

"Women…" he said with a roll of his eyes.

Sure enough, he was right. He could hear the water rushing through the pipes for her to shower as he donned his shirt and sat down on the suede couch.

"You're only going to get her hurt, Edward…or worse, killed…"

Edward let his head fall back and closed his eyes. Bella had been right, but he didn't want to admit that…even to himself.

"_Reyn is _never _going to leave you willingly. She's too attached, too infatuated, too…_blind_ to see the trouble she is going to be in! What if another vampire that isn't like you comes around Forks again? What are you going to do…? Send her back to Australia? But is that even going to keep her out of harm's way?"_

Edward had remained silent. He had never planned this far ahead because it had never occurred to him that the same situation with Bella could arise with Reyn…. Reyn just seemed too strong to get caught up in that.

"_You have to be the one to either pull away or break her heart. It'll keep her safe. Maybe if you hurt her, she'll decide to leave you…and she can be out of harm's way. You have to do this because if she means anything to you…you'll let her go."_

Edward ground his teeth. He hated that line with every fiber of his being. That line should never have been made up or used.

"_The pack knows that she and Aiden smell better than normal humans do…and that they smell better to you than even me. They can tell that their scents drive you guys crazy with thirst but they don't want to intervene so I have to. Reyn and Aiden are at risk!" _Bella cried. _"Please, Edward…I'm not asking you to do this out of jealousy, I'm asking you to protect her from yourself…."_

"I can't…" Edward whispered to himself. In fact…he didn't think it was at all possible. He knew that Reyn was in constant danger while she remained with him…he had known that from the very beginning.

But he could never bring himself to say good-bye.

Remaining with Reyn until she died was all he wanted now. He would do everything to protect her…and he wouldn't make the same mistakes like had with Bella. Even if another vampire _did _try to attack Reyn, Edward already knew he would never let that vampire ever get close enough to touch her. His resolve and willpower were so much stronger than it had been with Bella….

He had to stay for Reyn.

At first, he thought that he needed to remain by her side for himself…and in a way, that was true but this wasn't about him anymore. It was about her. Reyn would be devastated if he left her. She would get depressed…she would cry, and that was the worst thing he could ever do to her. Making her cry was a sin.

He had read once in a psychology book during one of his many periods of going to college that to love another, one had to be altruistic and sacrifice. In this situation, he guessed it could go both ways; he could sacrifice _his_ happiness and break her heart to make her leave him so she would remain safe…or he could sacrifice _her_ happiness and leave her, making the danger of him being around her significantly less. However, what if a vampire that didn't abstain from human blood _did _come around Forks and found her and Aiden anyway? The werewolves would be able to protect them, he guessed, but Edward knew that his vampire family would be able to keep the twins much safer than if they up and left, leaving them vulnerable.

The situation was complex…but he had already resolved that he wasn't leaving.

* * *

I get the feeling that what I said to Edward would only fuel him to remain with Reyn instead of leaving her. I had tried every possible angle to get him to see that he was only going to hurt her in the end but Edward was, and probably always will be, stubborn.

I had tried, to say the very least, but I wasn't very happy with the outcome. I didn't get him to commit to anything because he suddenly cut me short and jumped off the phone. It didn't take a rocket scientist to know that he was trying to hide our conversation from Reyn. That's a little irritating because it isn't like there is anything to really…keep hidden from her. We weren't doing anything wrong.

I sighed in frustration.

This was going to be a lot more difficult that I had anticipated. Edward was just as attached to Reyn as she was to him. This was going to cause problems for me…. How am I going to be able to convince one or the other to separate from each other? I knew my best shot was with Edward but I may have to try Reyn and play off her big heart to get the results I want.

This sounds more like a scheme than a resolution to help. That's bad…because now I sound like a jealous ex….

Okay, I'm not going to even think that because then I'll just turn out that way.

Maybe I should take this up with Jake. Maybe he might have some sort of idea of how to get Reyn to leave Edward. We can't use any scare tactics…that's for sure. She already knows what they are and its obviously not at all frightening to her. I mean, I had been fascinated with their condition but I still felt the fear that there was always a possibility that I'd get killed.

Reyn was just a strange girl, I guess. In a way, she's not like most people either. I've seen her in gym. She is fast…she's strong.

The _hell? _Where am I even going with that! I almost started suggesting that she was some weird creature too…. Although, Jacob thinks there is something different about the La Pierre twins. I mean, Jacob had said that when he races Aiden in foot races across the rez, Aiden is able to keep up…which is really strange because-

Stop it, Bella!

I fell back on my bed and shut my eyes. I'm really quite finished thinking about this. I'm tired so I'm going to crash…. Maybe it'll clear my head.

* * *

Reyn ignored him for the rest of the day.

Edward found that aggravating but he knew that she needed her space and wasn't about to intrude on that. He'd just talk to her tomorrow about it…. He'd be truthful about why Bella had called. He owed her that much, at the very least.

Edward wandered around her house while she slept. Aiden was home early today but he was up in his room, already dead asleep. Edward figured that Aiden would die young with the way he partied and never slept.

He walked from the kitchen to the living room when something caught his eye in the entertainment center where the flatscreen was. There were rows of photo albums lined below the T.V. and they were separated by Aiden and Reyn.

Curious, Edward reached for one plain royal blue album that was titled _Reyn: 5 to 6 y/o. _He went to the armchair and sat down. He wondered why he had never asked to see any of her pictures from when she was a young child. He guessed it slipped his mind. Edward opened up the cover gently.

The girl that was grinning up at him was so beautiful.

Her sparkling blue eyes were bright with excitement as she rode on the back of her brother, who was almost half a head taller than her. Edward couldn't help but stare.

He had seen this girl before.

It had been so long ago…he didn't even realize that this could have been the same girl. He had come down from Alaska to see if Forks would be a safe place to move back to after years of living elsewhere. Edward had found that there were only two people, well in into their 90s, that might remember who the Cullens are so he was on his way back to tell his family that they could move to Forks again within a few years. As he made his run back to Alaska, he ran into a young girl. The memory flashed before his mind.

"_Please…don't leave me!"_

The little girl that was so beautiful, even with hair that was as short as a boy, looked terrified that he was going to leave her. It's so strange though…she was young and she didn't smell as enticing as she did now. In fact, she had smelled very normal…just like the rest of the human race. But this was the same girl that he had rescued…the same young girl with a tormented past.

"_No, he didn't say that! Shut up! Only momma says she can be beautiful! Not me! I'm a boy! I'm _not_ beautiful…. Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!"_

Edward's heart had always been cold…but he felt his heart break at the sight of this young girl sobbing uncontrollably. She had been so abused…so hurt. No one deserved the scars that she did.

Especially now that he learned that the girl he was so desperately in love with…was the same little girl that had been beaten into submission by her own mother. Edward couldn't understand how he never let it register before….

But in a small way, he _had _recognized her. When they had first met, he knew that he had seen her from somewhere before but he was never able to place it. Now he knew…and his heart ached.

Her father….

Reyn had no idea, did she? She didn't know her father's secret…. Edward had wondered how her father was able to care for her...but in the end, he didn't. He left his children. He left Reyn to fend for herself and to care for her own life when she was still much too young. Should Edward tell her…? He wasn't entirely sure it was his place to mention it. He figured he would take it up with Carlisle first before telling Reyn…and he would keep this sudden realization of him having met her when she was six to himself.

He ended up sifting through all her albums up until Reyn was twelve…then they ended. All her pictures…they were all so cute. She was very photogenic; it didn't matter what face she made, or what she was doing in the picture, all of them were all absolutely adorable. Some made him laugh aloud…others made his heart melt.

Edward finally went back to her room. He figured that even if she was angry with him, he should still be there for her. Besides, she wouldn't mind him keeping an eye on her if she didn't know he was….

That sounded really stalker-ish.

Well, he had been a major stalker when he "fell" for Bella. However, he knew that his love for Bella was so…fake and obsessive that he knew that it wasn't real love. Edward was sure he was experiencing real love now for Reyn.

He shut the door quietly and turned to face her. After a second of him watching her, she suddenly opened her eyes, gazing at him.

She sat up. "I hate ignoring you…" Reyn said quietly. "It's really hard."

Edward couldn't help but chuckle. "Especially when I'm living in the same house as you."

Reyn's lips pulled into a smile. "Well, that does make it a little more difficult, yes," she replied. "I'm sorry. It was unfair of me to demand the truth like that."

"No, it wasn't. You're right…as you usually are."

She shook her head. "Let's just talk about it in the morning."

A gentle smile crossed his features and he went to sit down next to her on her bed. She silently embraced him…and fell asleep in his arms.


	12. Good Feelings Gone

**Author's Note: Oh the tormented stay tormented. Yes, Reyn's biggest fear comes into play in this chapter. But we know Edward, right? He always has something he is up to. haha and he comes to terms with himself about something. Acceptance is key, is what I always say! That's enough babbling now. Please enjoy**

**I don't own Twilight...blah blah blah. I own my OCs.**

Chapter Twelve: Good Feelings Gone

Reyn watched the green scenery pass by rapidly as she and Edward sped out of Forks a few days later. They were to meet the rest of the Cullen kids in Seattle to go hang out together. Reyn was very excited to spend more time with them since she had been away in Australia for the last two weeks. It had been much too long for her being away from Forks and she was very happy to be back at home. Aiden, however, grudgingly came home with her…even though Reyn told him that she would be more than happy to have him stay in Australia. However, she had a feeling the only reason that Aiden returned home with her and Edward was because he wanted to keep an eye on Edward.

Edward still stayed every night at her house, unbeknownst to Aiden. Last night, the only thing Edward said when he left was, "I'll be in your room." With that, he left in his car. She already knew that he would have been waiting for her but he never had announced it before…especially in an almost flirtatious manner. However, Reyn was sure that he had not meant it to be flirty.

Edward left when Aiden came home, which was later than normal. Aiden had slammed the door from the front. Reyn smiled at him but he looked real pissy. "Your boyfriend never leaves, does he…?" he snapped.

"He's not my boyfriend," Reyn replied flatly. "Don't be stupid."

"Whatever…you might as _well_ be his girlfriend," Aiden said, opening the fridge. He pulled out a can of a Monster energy drink before trudging up the stairs. "Night, Reyn."

"Good night," she said just as tonelessly. She waited for a few minutes before she thought it would be safe to get up.

Reyn ran up as quietly as possible to her room immediately after that. "Edward!" she hissed when she opened her door to her dark room. No one answered her. "Edward!"

Reyn shut her door and went to her bathroom to see if he was hiding in there. He wasn't and she made of noise of irritation. She turned to her balcony door. She yelped out at the sight of Edward standing there, leaning against the door, with his arms crossed while looking smug.

"Took you long enough," he had said. She laughed and went over to him.

They spent the nearly the whole night talking until Reyn fell asleep. "Reyn…" whispered Edward, who was lying next to her. "Did you fall asleep?"

Only soft, even breathing met him and he smiled. "Sleep well, princess."

Reyn had barely heard that but she heard nonetheless.

Maybe Aiden was right...for once. She spent all her time with Edward and both had had the hardest time letting the other go when she left for Australia. The way he treated her and her to him would confuse anyone who saw them on the street. A stranger would have assumed that they were very much happily together. They even were sleeping together…well, Edward wasn't precisely sleeping but he was still lying in the same bed.

That didn't seem very weird but maybe to others, it would be very awkward if they weren't together romantically. Best friends slept in the same bed at sleepovers…this was just the same…. Reyn just kept rationalizing the "problem" as they were extremely close…as friends. Reyn wanted to sigh in frustration.

Now they were on their way to Seattle in Reyn's Saleen S5S Raptor. Although she had those previous thoughts, she was still very energized that day. "Well, someone is happy…" noted Edward beside her.

Reyn smiled to herself. Well, he had a point. She _was _happy; many things were going amazingly right in her life. Her best friend finally had trusted her enough to tell her the truth about his nature about three weeks ago, she spent two weeks in Australia with him, the present day was actually _nice _for a change because it wasn't raining buckets, and she was on her way to see Edward's siblings, who all absolutely loved her, except for Rosalie… Reyn still wasn't sure what their relationship was.

"Yep," she replied finally. He chortled.

She felt that the statement was far too simple to truly express her exaltation, but she figured it would do for now. Edward chuckled lightly and took her hand, his thumb stroking her skin gently. Reyn knew that this wasn't exactly what she was looking for…but… strangely she didn't mind. It was still physical contact with him.

In truth, Reyn had fallen so hard for her Edward that she found it almost disgusting. She figured that it was natural though, since they _did _spend all their time together. Edward was always near her, staying the night six nights out of seven and on the day he wasn't there, he said he was hunting to stay strong to resist her scent. So…in a sense, it was for her sake. He felt the same for her but they already knew that they could never progress it any further…but she was okay with it. She was happy being his best friend.

Edward's hand was ice cold, like always but it didn't concern Reyn anymore. In fact, she liked that he was so chilly.

"You're very warm…" said Edward abruptly. Reyn laughed lightly.

"I wonder," she replied with her notorious smirk, "if that is a compliment or not."

Edward smiled at her. "Well, coming from a vampire…yes, it's a compliment," he said, watching the road again. "….You smell _so _delicious too."

He felt her stiffen and heard her breath stop short at the statement. He thought she would. In a way, it was the right response, though not the desired reaction. It meant that she still had a little bit of sense to know that she was in danger with him. "Well," she laughed, relaxing after a moment, "I try."

"Well, you definitely succeed," Edward laughed, glancing sidelong at her with a smirk. Reyn stuck out her tongue playfully.

"What the heck are we listening to?" she said, furrowing her eyebrows at the soft classical music. She reached to turn the station but Edward snatched her hand in his.

"The driver gets to choose the music."

She eyed him. "But it's my car!" she protested. He didn't release her hand but smiled.

"No…" he said simply. "Besides…we're here."

She rolled her eyes as they pulled into the parking structure. "Fine…"

He pulled up next to a familiar Jeep and put the car into park. Almost instantly, Alice bounded up gracefully, wearing a huge smile on her face. "Hurry up and get out of the car!" she cried in her high-pitched voice, now knocking on Reyn's window.

Alice practically hauled Reyn out before she had the seatbelt off. "Alice!" Reyn cried, laughing at her high-spirits. "Relax, will ya? It's not like we don't see each other almost every day."

"I know, it's so unfair!" said Alice, exasperated.

Reyn stared. "Wait… what-?"

"I mean, Edward spends every _second_ of the day with you and he even sleeps over at your house. It's entirely unfair! We only see each other when he feels like you deserve to see someone else for a change because you're cooped up in that house forever. That aside, you spent two _weeks _in Australia without us. We all really missed you," sighed Alice, before glaring at her brother. "Why are you keeping her all to yourself, Eddie?"

Edward laughed. His hand wrapped around Reyn's wrist before jerking her into his arms. "I saw her first, so she's rightfully _mine_," he said, in a mock menacing tone at Alice. His cool breath was on Reyn's neck, sending violent shivers down her spine .

She had never been this close to him without good reason. Sure, they had hugged each other and slept next to one another but this seemed entirely different and they've kissed…okay…. This should be nothing to her but it felt weird. His arms were protective, gentle, kind, and unwarranted…if that made sense.

"Technically, _I_ saw her first," countered Alice, gripping Reyn's wrist and tugging lightly. "_And_ I was her friend before you were so I'm very sure she belongs to me."

Edward growled playfully. "You can't have her."

"That's not fair!" cried Alice, stamping her foot, but Reyn was sure she could see the hint of a smile on Alice's lips.

"It's completely fair!" laughed Edward. "She's _my _best friend! Besides, if you ask her, she'd say she would rather be with me any day if she was forced to choose."

He felt her blush and he could smell her mouth-watering blood pool in her cheeks. Alice stiffened slightly at the smell…not enough for a human to see, but Edward caught the defensive action as plain as day. He did not react…her blood no longer called to him so easily.

"Not true!" exclaimed Reyn, squirming in his arms. "Stop it, you guys. You two do this every time we're all together."

Edward released his hold on her. Reyn didn't like the warmer air that surrounded her. She craved the artic touch he had. The two vampires laughed musically and they made their way towards the mall.

The other vampire siblings were waiting for them just inside the mall doors. They greeted her warmly and they went on their way to begin the shopping spree.

Reyn hadn't realized until just recently that the Cullen/Hale kids never wore the same outfit twice. That was because of Alice, who had the fashion sense of the family and she forced them all to change their clothes nearly everyday and to give the used clothes up to charity. They did use their clothes more than once but they never really got much use out of them before Alice told them to toss their clothes. Reyn had thought Rosalie would have been the designer girl but…then again, you could put Rosalie in anything and she'd _still _be drop dead gorgeous. Even a potato sack could look amazing on her so…she probably didn't have to worry about what she wore.

Today, they were apparently restocking their closets again. "Alice, you know that's such a waste, right?" moaned Reyn.

"Is not!" she replied, holding her hand like kids. "We give them to charity."

Reyn was about to argue when Edward gave her a warning look. "I wouldn't argue with Alice, if I were you. She gets what she wants when it comes to fashion," he said with an almost silly grin. She wondered why he was so happy today.

They continued along the mall line for a while, laughing, shopping, teasing, talking…and getting quite a few awed stares from anyone that passed them. Reyn felt so out of place when she was out with them in public places. All five of them were gorgeous in their own ways…and Reyn was pretty, which compared to them was just plain.

Reyn had always been use to the spotlight…seeing that she had lived in the public eye for a while. However, she found herself very pleased that everyone was more shocked with her company than freaking out about her. Although, she did get a few people come up to her and ask for autographs.

As they walked past some uninteresting stores, Reyn let her eyes travel to Rosalie and Emmett. They were walking close; Emmett's arm draped over her shoulders and Rosalie's arm at Emmett's butt pocket. Reyn looked away quickly to Alice and Jasper. A mistake on her part. They were close too with Alice gripping flirtatiously on his arm and laughing. Reyn immediately dropped her eyes.

_Well…this is just lovely, _she thought to herself sarcastically.

Edward caught the shift in her mood and wondered what she was thinking about to make her upset. Without thinking, he reached for her warm, slender hand. His fingers interlocked between hers.

She looked up at him with astonishment at the action he had done. Had he been reading her mind? _He better not! I'll kill him_, Reyn thought, more horrified than angry. Edward flashed a reassuring smile and kept walking, as if this was completely normal for him to be connecting to other girls other than his previous girlfriend.

This wasn't friendly physical contact…. It felt like it meant much more…like there was actually a chance for them to be together after all. He made it feel like more. She really had a chance!

_How could I even think that, _Reyn reprimanded to herself. _I'm being so selfish. He and I specifically told ourselves that we could never be together. I promised that I would be okay with that and never ask for anymore than that! I'm just being idiotic._

Throughout the day though, he rarely let her hand go. It was as if they were permanently glued together…and it felt very normal to Reyn. He was always standing close to her, always having some sort of physical connection with her. Even in the most unnecessary conditions or atmosphere, he was protectively close… and he didn't seem to like parting when she would try clothes on with the other girls or when the boys would have to try on clothes.

"Alice, I _know_ he would look good in it but it's just not him!" protested Reyn when Alice was forcing Edward to try on a hooded sweatshirt in an obnoxious red. "He's classy, suave…. Not urban…give it to Emmett!"

"Well, Edward should really look for change. You know, that's what President Obama said in his campaign; 'Time for Change.' I agree! So Edward, you're going-"

"No, no!" Reyn said firmly. "I'm sorry, but I just can't allow you to dress him this way, Alice."

After of moment of thoughtful staring, Alice dropped her arms that held up the sweatshirt and grinned up at Edward who was standing just behind Reyn. "She passed," Alice said, putting the sweatshirt back on the rack. Edward laughed.

Reyn raised an eyebrow, very confused. "Umm, I passed what, exactly?" she pried. The two laughed briefly again.

"Well, I was testing you to see if you would protest against something this ridiculous. You pass my fashion test," Alice replied. "So, that means if you ever shop with Edward alone, which I hope you _never_ do because I should be coming too, you have the sense of how to dress him. I'm happy. Bella did _not_ pass this test. She just let me dress Edward in whatever I said he should be dressed in…"

Reyn felt the corner of her lips twitch with a grin of triumph. Edward smiled. "Congratulations," he said quietly to her.

"C'mon, let's go to Macy's," said Alice. "We could try on some dresses and-"

Reyn's stomach grumbled loudly, cutting her off. Alice, Edward, and Emmett, who were in the general vicinity as her, stared at her. Reyn blushed again. Edward saw Alice _and _Emmett freeze slightly in defense. "Oops, sorry," Reyn said sheepishly.

"Why are you apologizing?" said Edward with a slightly fierce edge in his voice. "You should have said something sooner, you idiot. We forget that you humans need to eat more frequently than we do. C'mon, let's get you lunch."

He tugged gently on her arm but she resisted, with much difficulty. "No, I'm fine. I'll wait until we get home to eat. I didn't want to bother you guys."

"_You will_ _not_ wait until we get home," said Edward severely. "Hey Alice, we'll meet you in Macy's, alright?"

His sister flashed a sweet grin. "Okay, have fun," she said, with a tone of mysterious hinting. Reyn thought she saw Edward give Alice a very swift wink before turning to leave, with Reyn in tow.

"Edward, I really must protest," whined Reyn as they walked to the food court. "I can wait until dinner. It's not that hard."

"Don't be moronic, Reyn," said Edward, smiling at her. "I _want _to buy you lunch."

Well, when he put it _that_ way, Reyn couldn't resist, especially with that god-like smile he had. She ordered a foot-long pastrami from Subway with a large Dr. Pepper. Edward carried her tray for her, being the gentleman that he was, and they sat down at a more private table, away from the crowds.

"Thank you," said Reyn in defeat as she opened up her sandwich. Edward grinned triumphantly.

"You're quite welcome."

She ate in silence for a while, shoveling her food in her mouth as quick as her body would let her. She didn't want to waste time attending to her human needs when she could be with her best friend's mystical family. Being human was beginning to become quite a hassle now. She didn't like this three-times-a-day meal crap and she _hated_ that she wasted eight…count them, _eight_…precious hours of her day _sleeping, _of all things, when she could be spending it with Edward. Reyn groaned to herself and Edward raised an eyebrow, smiling confusedly at her. Reyn didn't answer him and crammed more food into her mouth. He seemed to think that amusing while he gazed at her unblinkingly. She wanted to tell him to stop staring at her but she decided that she liked it…even if it did make her a little uncomfortable and cause her to blush. She couldn't remember ever blushing until she met Edward. Now, she was a nervous wreck when he did certain things.

She suspected that he was trying to read her mind but Reyn was very happy that he couldn't. She might scare him away with all her crazy daydreams of her becoming a vampire and being madly in love with each other for the rest of eternity. Actually, she was almost positive that it would scare him, especially because he had made it clear that it would never work between them, despite the way they felt for each other.

"Will you date me…?" Edward asked suddenly.

Reyn choked on her soda in extreme shock at the question. She stared wildly at him while he looked directly into her cerulean eyes, purely confident. She wasn't sure if he was serious but she was almost certain that her heart had skipped at least four beats. She gripped the table for support to regain her composure. He smirked, looking smug.

"Stop joking like that," she said finally, looking away. "It's not funny."

Edward chuckled briefly, still gazing at her. "Believe me, I'm perfectly serious."

She looked at him warily, unsure if she should believe him or not.

"Reyn," he said gently, touching her hand to soothe her paralyzed figure. "I know I can't give you all of me right now… and I know that I'm not ready to fully give up Bella…"

He paused, trying to form his thoughts into a coherent sentence.

"…but all the same, I cannot deny that I have very strong feelings for you and I'm willing to try if you would give me a chance," he said with another affectionate smile. "I want to let Bella go… and maybe this could be a way to release her. I've given up on pushing my feelings into the back of my mind…because it just isn't working. I'm tired of trying to tell myself that I _can't_ love you…I'm tired of telling myself that you and I could never be. It's truly exhausting. Not only that, I _like_ being with you, Reyn. I _like _seeing you…watching you sleep…swimming with you… and even cooking meals for you. I _love _you…and you know I mean that. I want to take this chance, if you're willing to make that leap with me."

Reyn had a thousand different thoughts she wanted to scream at him. She had no idea where to start…everything was so mixed up in her brain. Edward seemed patient enough for her to regain her speaking ability, so she took her time as she stared at him in amazement.

The loudest thought in her head was that this was a dream. She was in complete shock. Edward…the most gorgeous creature…the most charming being that existed was finally ready to take their relationship to the next level…after all this time.

"I…I really…" she paused, at a loss for words. Edward was still smiling at her. "I really don't know what to say, actually."

Edward chuckled. "Well, you could say you're ready to take that leap with me, and I'll be happy."

"I'm ready to take that leap with you, Edward," she replied, grinning.

He returned it. "I'm glad."

Reyn blushed as he gazed at her with calm, adoring eyes. "I don't think this is going to change much between us," she noted indifferently, as if she was trying to act like she wasn't surprised by his declaration. He smirked that very charming smirk again.

"Not necessarily true," he said with an almost dark grin. "Dating you means I get to do this without making things awkward."

Edward stood up slightly, leaned over the table, using his hands to place his weight, and put his icy lips to hers. Reyn froze in shock as he pulled back just as quickly as he leaned in.

"But yes, I do agree that we're still best friends and always will be," he said with a laugh, while she sat perfectly frozen.

"I don't understand," Reyn admitted. "What made you change your mind…?"

He smiled very gently. "Alice…"

Reyn raised an eyebrow. "Alice made you change your mind? Did she have a vision or something?" she asked.

Edward shook his head. "No. When I went home after our trip, she pulled me aside and had a very serious talk with me. She convinced me that letting you slip through my fingers was the worst decision I will ever make if I went through with my original plan of letting you go.

"She helped me see that I should not look too far into the future…because it isn't set in stone and I will never really know what will happen. Taking the chance with you…was something I wanted anyway and the family supports me in my choice. They love you…more than they ever did with Bella.

"Carlisle thinks you're the best the thing that ever happened to me."

Reyn looked away, blushing yet again. "Oh…" she said lamely.

Her phone vibrated on the table before it began playing her ringtone, _Crawl _by Chris Brown. Edward snatched it quickly because Reyn was still in astonishment of what had just taken place. "Hello, Reyn La Pierre's phone, her boyfriend speaking," he said in his velvety, polite voice. Reyn did a silent scream. _Boyfriend! _She thought they were just dating! "….Yes, she's right here…. Sure… one second."

He took her cell away from his hear and mouthed _"Aiden" _to Reyn. She raised an eyebrow in confusion, now distracted, and took the phone.

"What?" she said, a little harshly.

"Oh, so he's your boyfriend_ now!_" demanded Aiden, apparently enraged. "You've gotta be kidding!"

"Did he sound like he was kidding to you?" Reyn snapped. "Besides, it just happened like fifty seconds ago!"

He didn't reply but she could hear indistinguishable hissing and murmurs on his side. She wondered what he was doing. Reyn tried to recognize the other voice but it was too muffled to guess.

"Hello, Reyn darling…" said a soft, silky female voice.

Reyn's body went entirely stiff.

* * *

Edward watched Reyn freeze up and her blue eyes grow wide with…_horror_ as some woman spoke on her phone. Instantly, Edward was worried. He had never seen Reyn so afraid of something in his life. She looked like she was being tortured.

"_Mother…?" _she finally gasped, staring at Edward but not seeing his face. In that one word, he saw true terror overwhelm her face.

"So…a boyfriend? Sounds like Aiden didn't even know…" said the dark, honey voice. "You know I don't particularly approve of boyfriends, Reyn. Aiden said-"

"_Where are you?" _Reyn demanded, her face snapping to hatred and revulsion.

"Aww!" squealed the voice, apparently "distracted" with something. "Is the boy you're dating the one in all these pictures?"

Reyn's features contorted into fury. She was in her room, looking at the pictures that Reyn and Edward had taken over the last month with her camera. "_Get-out-of my-room!_" she snarled, emphasizing almost every syllable.

"Now, now… no need to be feisty."

Reyn heard glass shatter in the background. "I think I'll keep this. You two are _so _adorable together…. And he's such a _gorgeous _young man…. How could you let him fall for you, Reyn? He deserves so much better than _you…_"

"Why are you here?" Reyn said furiously, ignoring her mother's comment.

The velvet voice paused for the first time. "To check on you and your brother, dear," she said sweetly. "Besides, it's apparent I need to patch up a few things here anyway. You know, just like _before…."_

Reyn's eyes grew wide again but she was staring directly into Edward's eyes, seeing him this time. "Please, mother…" she began to beg, tears brimming in her eyes. "Please, don't do-"

The voice cut her off darkly. "Good-bye, Reyn. I expect to see you soon."

The line went dead and she heard a long, dull beep. The phone slipped through her fingers, her entire body locked into the position it had been holding for the whole conversation. Her cell phone clattered onto the table.

"Reyn…?" said Edward, reaching across the small table to touch her face. She didn't blink and her eyes were unfocused. Again, there was the true terror in her eyes, as if she was watching someone being tormented.

"Reyn…look at me!" he said, now alarmed. She was but she wasn't focused on him. "Reyn!"

Tears were streaking her beautiful face like rivers. "You…can't come home with me, Edward," she whispered finally while her eyes cleared. "You can't come home…"

"I can't leave you with her!" objected Edward. "You're terrified of her."

She put her head in her hands. She couldn't believe what was happening. This wasn't what she wanted. What if…what if the dreams she had would come true? What if her mother was going to take him away from her? Reyn began to sob silently while flashes of her mother and Edward kissed passionately. Reyn clenched her teeth together and let out a moan of frustration.

"No, no," she said in denial. "This can't be happening. This isn't happening! She's not here… she's not here…!"

Edward could hear Alice's thoughts screaming in his head and his eyes snapped to his right and saw the rest of the family running to them at a normal, human pace. Alice was in the lead, looking like she had just seen someone she truly loved…die.

They skidded to a stop next to their table. "You're father is there too, Reyn…" she whispered. Reyn lowered her eyes to her unfinished sandwich…her appetite completely gone. Her _father? _When was the last time she had even _spoken _to him, let alone seen him face-to-face? Even at award shows, he sat with friends instead of his family, if he showed up at all.

Why did they decide to come? Reyn racked her brain for any reason at all for them to show up… especially both of them. Then it clicked. _Aiden, _she realized. _He must have called her to stop me from being with Edward all the time. I'm gonna murder him. Still…why would Laius be here? Why would my father come? Mother would want to hide things from him…. I'm so confused._

She stood up. "I should go home."

Edward rose to a stand instantly. "I'm coming with you."

Reyn glared up at him. "You can't! You don't understand what's happening, Edward!" she cried. "She'll ruin you! I have to go home…_alone_. I have to convince London to leave!"

She was sobbing again. She couldn't help it; everything about London was threatening, terrifying, and cold. How did she obtain such a mother?

The vampire family watched her cry, so unsure of what to say to her. They didn't know what had happened between Reyn and her mother but whatever it was, it must have been very bad. Edward lowered his eyes to the top of her head.

"C'mon, I'll take you home," said Edward, taking her hand.


	13. The Truth

**Author's Note: Well, now all those little questions you've been having? It's answered in this. And, yeah...London is a mother but she pretends she really isn't. she has no taste and no regard for formalities and enjoys being obscene. Nuff said. Enjoy!**

**I don't own anything from Twilights. I own my OCs**

Chapter Thirteen: The Truth

The clouds had rolled in quickly and it was going to rain in any minute; he could smell it while he waited for his daughter to arrive at the estate. He was right…it began to drizzle and he could feel it hit his skin with a warm touch. It was only a very light drizzle though; it would probably be mistaken more as mist to humans.

A yellow Saleen S5S Raptor pulled into the complex smoothly and went across driveway. He felt himself smile. She had expensive taste when it came to cars…. She learned well from him.

He could sense his wife and son in the house on his left…and in front of him in the garage were his daughter and…_a vampire!_

Laius stared at the garage across the way in shock. He was hidden within the trees but he was sure the vampire would be able to sense him. What was Reyn doing with a vampire anyway? And how, in God's name, did this vampire not kill her? Did he not _smell_ her? Did Reyn even _know_ what she was hanging around with?

Two figures came out into the light drizzle from the garage door. His daughter…Reyn…she had gotten so beautiful in the last six years. Laius' heart strained at the sight of his daughter. She was striding out to the house, obviously distressed because her eyes were bloodshot. Laius wondered why the other vampire hadn't looked into the trees yet. He _knew_ he could sense him.

He recognized this vampire too, the one that was following Reyn. He wasn't sure where he had seen him before but he was sure he had been acquainted with him. He racked his brain for a moment and remembered. He had gone to Dartmouth with this vampire…Edward Cullen was his name. How strange to see him again.

The vampire gripped Reyn's arm and Laius tensed up instinctively in protection of his daughter…but Edward only stopped Reyn from walking. Laius relaxed a little from his crouch on the tree branch he was standing on, observing the scene.

"Reyn…" Laius heard him whisper. "Don't do anything stupid."

Reyn turned and gazed up at him. "I won't. Please, go home," she replied in almost a monotone. It was apparent that she didn't expect him to kiss her but he did, holding her close to him. Her eyes closed slowly, and she kissed him in kind.

How could this vampire _kiss _her! How could he stand the smell and still be able to love her? Laius' brain spun in surprise. This was a first.

The two parted but remained embraced. "Call me if anything gets out of hand, okay?" he said quietly. The tone in is voice was a give away that he knew that she wouldn't and that he would be somewhere nearby. She nodded before he went to the parked Volvo that was sitting by the fountain. The ignition started and he sped away.

Reyn stared at the mansion with apprehension for a long time. Laius decided to finally approach to her. He jumped deftly to the floor, landing lightly on the balls of his feet with hands in his pockets. He wasn't sure what he was going to say as he walked out from the trees.

"Why didn't you invite him in?" was the first thing that came from his mouth. His daughter's head turned to him, unsurprised that he was there. Strange… but then again…. He didn't know his daughter like he used too. She changed over his absence from her life. Guilt caught at his throat.

* * *

Reyn's stomach knotted up with trepidation while she stared at her home. Today, it wasn't home…. Today it was her personal Hell. There was someone in that Hell, waiting for her, waiting to strip her from everything she had finally gained back. Reyn beat back more tears.

She was happy now…and London was going to take it away. There was nothing Reyn could do about it. London had this unreasonable power over Reyn and her mother knew she did. It was the power of ultimate fear. She was absolutely defenseless against London. There was nothing she could possibly do or say to ever win. Reyn was entirely under her control, no matter how much Reyn hated her.

"Why didn't you invite him in?" called one of the smoothest voices she had ever heard.

Reyn turned her head to the left and saw her father approaching her slowly from a distance. He was wearing a black trench coat, slacks, and nice dress shoes. Laius was a very handsome man…she had forgotten just how _good-looking_ he was. How long had it been since they had spoken? When she was eleven…that was six years ago.

"He doesn't need grief," Reyn said firmly, turning fully to face him. He smiled a very gentle smile.

"Neither do you…"

That was the last thing she expected to hear from someone who had virtually disappeared from her life. She gazed at him warily, distrusting his intentions.

"Why are you here?" she asked while he kept walking towards her, his hands shoved in his jacket pockets.

"Reyn," he said sadly, coming to a stop six yards from her. "You probably hate me for leaving you like I did. I completely understand that. I had no right to vanish under unknown circumstances. You can hate me, Reyn and I'm okay with it."

"Hate is an emotion, father," she said with a hint of spite. "Yes, I had hated you for a while but… I feel nothing towards you now. You're a distant figure…that provides me money."

The truth hurt while he looked at the floor and smiled sadly for a second. She still hadn't lost that fire in her spirit though. Reyn still was able to say the things she wanted without being scared. "I came to apologize to you. You don't deserve to be treated in this way."

Reyn gazed at him with detached eyes. "I'll decide if you're apology is needed or not later. I have other more pressing issues to deal with."

She spoke so formally to him. He wanted to laugh. Reyn had changed a lot…but he could still feel the stubborn, mischievous aura about her. He wondered if the other vampire was drawn to her because of that.

"I know your mother has emotionally…and physically tortured you…" he paused, unsure of how to continue, "…and I know I never did anything about it before…. But I'm going to now."

"I take it she doesn't know you're here," said Reyn, crossing her arms, not warming up to him like he was to her.

"No…not yet," he replied with a handsome and yet strangely familiar smirk. He looked vaguely like Edward when he did that.

The rain started to pick up and Laius' black hair flattened from the weight of the water. She analyzed his appearance. He was quite tall, lean…rather pale…. Truth be told, he was _really _pale. He didn't seem to get much sun… at _all_, in fact. His liquid topaz eyes were gazing at her with sorrow and love, something she didn't expect to see.

_Wait…pale…gold eyes…_she thought. _No, I'm jumping to conclusions._

But she couldn't deny her gut feeling. She knew she was right. She had spent enough time around vampires to know one when she saw one. Reyn staggered at the sudden realization that she came to. Her legs gave out in shock and she fell to her knees. This wasn't right!

_Her father was a vampire!_

"Oh…my god…" she whispered from the floor. "You're…you're a…"

Laius smiled gently. He figured that she would realize what he was within a couple minutes seeing that she was familiar with vampires. "Good inference, Reyn. I suppose you do know more than I had hoped. But yes, I _am_ one…and I know who you're dating…" he laughed. "Or at least _what _you're dating."

Reyn felt the breath leave her lungs in blank confusion. This didn't make sense! Vampires couldn't have children but… she knew she was a mixture of her parents as far as looks went. And there were _pictures_ of London giving birth to her and her brother. Reyn's head swam in her confused thoughts.

"Vampires can't have children…" she whispered, more to herself than to him. She had to convince herself she was imagining this!

Laius looked up briefly at the house. "Well, somehow…we did."

Reyn went on all fours to steady herself. She stared at the ground, the rain dripping from her hair. "Is…is mom a…?" she couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence. She didn't want to associate the Devil's whore with someone and something like Edward.

Laius snorted to himself. "No, she hasn't figured out what I am either…"

Reyn raised her head to him. None of it was sinking in. It wasn't registering in her mind. How could she be half vampire and not even know it? Why did her father leave her if she was half of what he was!

"I-I'm so confused," she choked out to the floor.

"You have vampire genes in you, Reyn. You and Aiden both," said Laius just near her. "That's why you both are so physically good-looking and why you both excel easily at sports."

"No!" she shouted, standing up, determined to prove him wrong. "No! This isn't possible. It just – it just isn't right! _Vampires can't have children!"_

Even though she stood up to shout at her father, she fell to her knees again, too weak to hold her weight. Laius closed the gap between them and knelt on one knee. His ocher eyes twinkled.

"Reyn, I'm one of the oldest vampires in existence. I'm an _ancient," _he explained slowly. "Ancients have the ability to create vampire children so we can spread the disease. Most of the ancients have died out because of their behavior… hence, they were slain. I also was the first to find that vampires were able to survive on animal blood…."

Reyn stared wildly up at him. "I thought that I could only procreate through other vampires…. However, I was wrong. When your mother gave birth to you and your brother…I realized that I could still pass on the genes," he paused in thought. "Half-vampires aren't unheard of though. I did some research and I found out that it's happened about a handful of times. When the child takes on more of the vampire traits than it does human, the pregnancy is harsh and painful…and the mother usually dies.

"But you and your brother took your mother genes more readily, thank God," he sighed. "Though, I'm fairly confident that you're more vampiric than Aiden is… which is why you're better looking overall and that you exceed him in sports.

"Half-vampires…are highly dangerous," he stopped when Reyn whimpered in shock. "Let me rephrase that…. The smell of half-vampires is exceptionally hard to resist…even for a mature vampire such as myself. Half-vampires smell better than humans, and that even includes the Sirens…"

"Sirens?" Reyn asked in a voice barely above a croak.

"Humans whose scent is highly intoxicating. One Siren's scent drives only a single vampire wild with thirst and other vampires do suffer a little from the Siren's intoxicating scent," Laius replied. "…. At ten years old… I couldn't resist the temptation for much longer from you and Aiden. It was physically exhausting to refuse something that is the core of your existence.

"But you were my children…. I had to protect you from me. You must understand, Reyn, I never meant to leave you. I never wanted you to go through life alone but I couldn't be around you without wanting to attack you. And if I had called or kept contact with you, I may have not been able to resist the temptation to return and care for you. You have no idea how much it hurt me to distance myself from you…But I had to do it to keep you safe…."

Reyn looked away; she was hurt but she finally understood why he had left. It must have been difficult for him to know that his habits could very well take away the children he cared about. She couldn't imagine the agony her father must have felt having to resist the urge to feed upon the kids he adored.

"It's so strange though," her father said quietly to the chilly air. "When I saw you kiss that vampire…I was… shocked…and _jealous. _I was angry that he could be in such a small proximity to you without any issues when it's taking every ounce of me not to kill you right now. I know what he is…but I still can't believe he can…_resist_ you like that. He had such self-control, such easy conviction…that I felt envious. I just don't understand how he can be so close to you without attacking you on the spot."

"Mind over matter."

Reyn turned and saw Edward standing there, drenched with water, looking as glorious as ever. For whatever reason, Reyn felt tears sting her eyes at the sight of him. Even Laius was surprised to see him there. He must have come in very fast.

Laius stood up. "Well, that does make sense," he said with a polite smile. Edward returned it.

"It's nice to see you again, Raiffe," said Edward, approaching them. He pulled Reyn to her feet before shaking her father's hand. Laius laughed.

"Oh, it's Laius now…I had to change it; you would understand that," said Laius, watching Edward pull his daughter into his arms. "But it's nice to see you again as well."

"Wait, hold up!" said Reyn, staring at them. "You two _know_ each other?"

"We went to Dartmouth together in the 60s," replied Edward, smiling… deciding to keep another part of the story to himself. "I didn't know this was your father."

"And I went to Harvard with Carlisle in the early 20s," added her father.

"You went to an Ivy League college…?" whispered Reyn to Edward, impressed.

Edward was about to reply when both men looked over at the door to the house. Reyn looked too, wondering what they were doing until London burst through the front door, with Aiden tailing her like a baby chick.

"Laius!" said London, acting like she was surprised. If that was the case, she wouldn't have nearly kicked down a perfectly good door. "What in blazes are you doing here for?"

Edward tightened his hold around Reyn protectively, sensing her terrified demeanor. Laius just smiled at his wife. "I'm visiting the kids, London. Is there a problem with that?" he asked politely.

"But…you _hate_ the kids…" replied London, coming down the steps to meet them. Reyn cringed into Edward's chest as she made eye contact with her mother. She heard Edward growl very quietly just above her as he glared at London, his eyes blazing with fire.

"When did I ever say that, London?" Laius said his tone rank with heavy irritation. His face did not betray him though; he still looked very calm. "Go inside, now. You too, Aiden. We'll be in there shortly."

They turned on their heels and did exactly as he ordered without complaining. Reyn stared. "Wait…_what_?" she gasped once they shut the door. "That isn't like them to not say anything!"

She threw a confused look to her father. He laughed briefly. "Persuasion," he said with a wink. "I can get anyone to do anything I ask…unless of course they have a particularly strong mind, like you. I also can remember anything I see or read. My memory is exceptional."

Reyn stared. "Wait…huh?"

"For example, I learned to speak and write fluent Japanese in three hours," he said airily. "As for the persuasion…it's highly useful when you want to buy a company when a CEO doesn't want to agree with your terms."

"So…they're like your super powers…"

"Sort of…. I believe your boyfriend has some sort of a gift, doesn't he?"

Reyn smiled up at Edward, who still held her close to him. "Yeah, he can read minds-"

"Except yours and my ex-girlfriend's," Edward added.

"Yeah, and his sister can see the future…and his sister's boyfriend-"

"Husband," Edward corrected.

"Whatever! Her _husband_ can control the emotions around-" she paused. "Wait! Edward is _not _my boyfriend."

Edward released her. "I'm not?" he asked, mocking a hurt look.

"No!"

"Hmm….You know, I was under the impression that I was," he replied, crossing his arms. "I mean, I did ask to date you in a food court not a few hours ago."

"'Boyfriend' isn't suitable!" argued Reyn if lofty tone. "It makes you sound…_normal _and ordinary…."

"_That's _your reason for me not getting the honorable title of your boyfriend!" snorted Edward.

The two continued to bicker. Edward was totally enjoying himself while on the other hand, Reyn was thoroughly annoyed. Laius watched them, smiling. It was nice to see someone care for Reyn so much. Maybe she had not as been as lonely as he had thought.

His daughter's relationship with the vampire was a relatively easy-going one. He could see that Edward was going to be the one who was cautious though, not just because of his nature, but it was also his personality. Both were character foils to the other…but Laius was still happy to see that Reyn wasn't bothered with the vampire notion.

"How about your _husband_?" offered Laius. Reyn fell over from shock.

"NO!" she shrieked. "D'you think that would go over well with the media? _Reyn La Pierre: Secretly Engaged to a Gorgeous Vampire _would be all over magazine covers and news stations!"

The men laughed at her outraged face. "Well, in any case," said Edward to Reyn, "I'm your boyfriend, whether you like it or not."

Reyn attempted to glare up at him. "_I hate you…" _she whined.

Edward laughed. "You do not."

"You suck, Edward! I deserve a say in our relationship-"

"Ah ah ahhh," he said waving a finger at her. "You agreed to everything in our little arrangement, remember? So you're stuck with me."

"I am _not_ stuckwith-"

"C'mon, you two," interrupted Laius, staring at the mansion. "We have a couple of other issues that needed to be dealt with first. After that, you can decide how to title each other."

Reyn froze on the spot at the thought of confronting her mother. Her eyes were dark with anguish…sorrow. Edward waved his hand in front of her face but she didn't see it. She stared straight past it and into Edward's face. Tears fell down her cheeks again. Her sapphire eyes turned into blank slates of color...

Edward grew alarmed. "Reyn!" he said anxiously. "Hey, c'mon! We haven't even gone inside yet."

Finally, her eyes cleared and she blinked. Reyn looked at Laius, who was standing near the porch, waiting for her, and then to Edward. Her voice was quiet when she spoke. "No…no…I can't go in there…" she said hoarsely. Edward reached for her arm. "_No!_ You can't go in there, Edward! You can't! She'll steal you from me! You can't go in there!"

Now she was screaming at Edward, gripping the front of his coat with her hands while crying uncontrollably. He stroked her rather pale face. "Shh," he said soothingly, caressing her cheek lightly. "Shh, I'm not going anywhere, okay? Your mother can't separate us. She doesn't scare me, Reyn-"

"She scares _me, _Edward!" shrieked Reyn, staring into his golden eyes. She released him to step back a few steps. "You _don't_ understand! I-I can't _lose_ to her. Not you, Edward… I _can't_ lose you!"

Edward reached for her once more but she backed away, angry and scared. Reyn let out a noise of absolute desperation and bent over in anguish.

She sobbed into her hands. "_Not you…" _she choked. "Why now?"

Reyn felt him wrap his arms around her and hold her close.

Laius watched from the porch, intrigued with their relationship. Edward held his daughter and she cried hard into his chest. Laius could see the gentleness Edward strived for when he touched Reyn. Again… Edward didn't seem to notice Reyn's scent radiating off her body…and the rain only made her smell better.

_Mind over matter…_Edward had said. Laius mulled over it for a moment. That's true…that's how Laius was able to resist her now…. But still, her scent would probably overpower him eventually. So he came up with two conclusions; one: Edward was completely desensitized to her smell…or two: Edward had enough feelings for his daughter to sway him from losing a battle of wills inside of him. Somehow…Laius knew it was the latter of the two.

He didn't realize that his wife had caused this much pain for Reyn. He didn't know exactly _what _the pain was but it scarred Reyn…bad. The revolting thing about it all was the fact that he had known that his daughter was being beat. However, by making sick and twisted excuses of why he shouldn't intervene, Reyn suffered emotionally, mentally, and physically. These scars could very well be with her for the rest of her life.

Laius felt disgusted with himself. He had been a selfish creature for centuries….

"Reyn, I'm not going anywhere. It's okay," assured Edward, wiping her tears away with a thumb. "I swear on my life, I'm not leaving."

"No!" she shouted, smacking his hand away from her face. "Don't you get it! She's…she's _intelligent_! She'll win, I know it…. It's the only way, Edward. Don't go in there…that's the only way…"

"Reyn, sweetheart," said Edward very gently, "I'm _not _leaving you."

Laius wondered if he could see the hysteria in her eyes…the dark, tormented past that she had hidden from him for so long. Laius had never realized that this was her extent of her agony. No matter how times Edward repeated himself, Reyn obviously didn't believe him.

"You're wrong! They all said they'd stay. They had all promised they'd never abandon me, but they _did_. All of them did! What makes you so different, Edward?" she yelled, losing all control of herself now. "Tell me that! _What makes you so much better than any of them!_ You're just going to leave me too. You're _lying_ to me! I know it! Liar, liar, _liar! _So…just - just _go! _Go have _sex_ with her, just like they did! Go!"

She shoved him away from her and stumbled, collapsing onto the floor and hyperventilating. She wept into her hands, moaning in emotional agony.

Laius could see the complete shock in Edward's topaz eyes. Neither of them expected such an outburst.

Edward couldn't move. Reyn's pain was beyond anything he had ever dreamed of…if he _could_ dream. But she was always so happy. She was always grinning and laughing. He never thought that she was always being optimistic and cheerful because she was trying to hide _this _from him. Now he understood by what she meant when she had said she was tainted. How could one person endure such pain…such twisted misery for so long? She was so innocent but she blamed herself…and then claimed she was the broken one. Just like _he_ had been alone for all those decades…Reyn had felt the same loneliness and torment throughout her life.

The realization of it only made him love her all the more.

"Oh, Reyn," he whispered to himself, kneeling down. Edward leaned over to her ear. _"I'm still here…"_

She looked up at him, her eyes red and her face tearstained. "You still have my heart…. How can I leave you when you stole my heart from me?" he said, touching her cheek. "And I don't _want _it back."

Edward kissed her soft lips tenderly, hoping it would soothe her from crying. Laius watched in pure amazement at his ease with her.

"No matter what happens… I will _always _be here. I'll _always _love you. And there's no way I could turn that feeling off…" Edward said softly. "Because once I fall…I fall hard…and in this case, it's for you."

Reyn sobbed into his shoulder but Laius could hear the subtle difference in these cries. She was crying in relief. She didn't have to worry that there was a possibility that Edward would leave her. His loyalty and confidence in his love for her was strong and she realized that.

It was a split-second decision but Laius made it anyways. He punched two on his cell phone and pressed the call button. After a ring and a half, his personal secretary, staying in Seattle while Laius was in Washington, answered.

"Hello, sir. What did you need?"

"Hi, Melanie…. _Call my lawyer."_

Edward looked over at Laius across the courtyard. He knew what he was going to do while Laius went inside. Edward heard it in his thoughts.

_Divorce._

_

* * *

_

"London, Aiden," snapped Laius into the intercom of the house. "Living room, _ASAP!"_

Edward and Reyn occupied the loveseat. He held her with protective arms while she trembled from fear of what was about to happen…. Her heart was pounding in his ears with anxiety.

"You don't have to be so scared," he whispered. "I'm right here with you…okay?"

She nodded numbly just as she heard Aiden come heavily down the stairs in the next room. He sauntered in and took the seat across from Edward and Reyn.

Aiden glared at Reyn harshly. Edward's chest constricted, ready to release a menacing growl. "Don't," she warned quietly, gripping his hand tightly.

Laius sat down in the only armchair by the fireplace. They waited in intense silence for a few minutes, the two vampires virtually motionless. "Where's… _mother_?" spat out Reyn finally.

"Bathroom," said Aiden innocently.

She eyed him suspiciously. Edward suddenly snorted in disgust, apparently listening to someone's thoughts. "What?" she said. He shook his head, looking absolutely revolted.

Six minutes later, London pranced into the room…wearing some of her expensive French lingerie. Reyn immediately coward into Edward's chest and growled under her breath at the same time at her mother's tastelessness and stupidity.

"_Slut…" _she hissed in a dark voice at her.

"_Takes a slut to know a slut!"_ shot Aiden from across the glass table. Edward was standing in hardly less then a millisecond, growling deeply. Aiden jumped at the sound.

"Don't," said Laius firmly.

"Reyn, go get us some drinks," ordered London to sidetrack them. Reyn stood up mechanically and went to the kitchen. Edward stared…motionless from shock. He couldn't believe she was listening to her like that! She was letting her mother totally take advantage of her.

Reyn was back in five minutes with a pitcher of water and hard plastic cups.

"_Plastic!" _shrieked her mother, outraged. "Who do you think I am? Get us glass, you wretch!"

London backhanded her daughter and the tray and its contents went flying from Reyn's hands. Reyn stumbled but did not fall while she kept her eyes lowered and her head down as blood rushed to her lower left cheek. Edward nearly leapt for the woman's throat before Laius shot him a warning look. The older vampire shook his head slightly. Edward knew he had to obey.

Reyn bent down and picked up the empty pitcher with a crack down the side of it, the tray, and the plastic cups.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to anger you," she whispered, shaken and meek. London smiled, looking triumphant and condescending. Reyn bowed her head and turned to go back to the kitchen.

Edward gripped her arm and jerked her back. "_What_ are you doing?" he snapped, glaring at Reyn. She looked away, her demeanor completely different. He didn't know this girl! She wasn't smiling or arguing…. She just did everything her mother said to do without thinking twice. The Reyn he knew would never take this sort of behavior from anyone.

"Edward…" she said desperately, her eyes frantic. "I have to get the glasses-"

"Sit," he commanded, pointing to the seat. His voice was dripping with authority and she couldn't disobey him. She sat down automatically with the tray in her lap.

"Edward…_please!_" she whispered in near hysterics, gripping his shirt. "I have-"

"_Edward_, is it?" interrupted London in a sweet, honey voice. She glided over to Edward and Reyn's grip on his left sleeve instantly loosened in defeat. Reyn wasn't going to fight her.

London's black lingerie barely covered a thing on her…and Reyn hated to admit it but London had quite the body. London reached for Edward's other arm, smiling at him with her perfect, white grin.

"_Don't_ touch me," he snarled at her. London jerked her hand away in shock. She had never had _this _reaction from anyone before. Everyone melted in her hands.

Reyn tugged on his arm. "Edward…" she whispered apprehensively, glancing at London. "Please…just sit down."

Out of anger, he wrenched his arm away from her too. "No, this is ridiculous! I'm sick of your brother treating you like shit. You're mother scares the hell out of you…and you just _let_ her walk all over you…"

Reyn lowered her eyes, completely ashamed.

"Enough Edward…" said Laius, his own voice rank with power. "Now, take a seat, if you please."

He sat, jaw clenched.

"Aiden, shut up," Laius snapped at his son, who was sniggering. Aiden went silent but still had a funny looking grin on his face. "And London…what in God's name are you wearing?"

"Lingerie!" she said brightly. "You like it?"

London went to him and sat in his lap. "_Off," _Laius ordered, pushing her away from him.

"Aww, what's wrong, honey? You-"

"We're getting a divorce," said Laius flatly. Aiden, London, and Reyn stared at him in utter surprise. Then they all started shouting at the same time.

"_WHAT!" _shrieked London, purely outraged.

"Dad!" cried Aiden, angry on his mother's behalf.

Reyn, however, was grinning. "Yes!" she yelled, hugging Edward. _"YES!"_

"My lawyer is faxing papers either tonight or in the morning. I'm keeping the house…_all_ of them. We did agree to this on the pre-nup, remember? I believe you're the one who asked for it," said Laius, smirking slightly to himself.

Reyn sniggered to herself. _Ahh, the power of persuasion…_she thought.

London stared blankly at him. "You'll have to pay alimony!" she countered finally.

"I am well aware of that…. You'll be quite prosperous, London. I'm sure that's all you really care about, right?"

It went silent in the room because everyone knew it was true. Reyn was completely ecstatic about the events that just happened. She wanted to scream out in delight.

"Aiden, you'll live with your mother," said Laius, folding his hands and leaning forward. "I'll live here…with Reyn."

Edward felt her aura lighten dramatically. He was surprised to see her stand up and laugh but he was relieved that she wasn't the slave girl she was acting like only five minutes ago. "Haha, _sucka!" _she exclaimed to Aiden. "That's what you get for ratting me out for all these years! Say bye-bye to your Vipers!"

Edward held back a laugh while Aiden's eyes grew wide with realization. "No! Dad, you can't do that! I need-"

"You do not _need_ twenty different cars. You can take one and the rest are Reyn's," said Laius, rising to a stand. Reyn smirked. "You two should start packing. You're going to be moving out soon."

"But dad!" Aiden protested. "Reyn has enough cars! This isn't fair-!"

"The discussion's over," snarled Laius. Aiden went silent immediately and London was staring into the fireplace blankly. She was still stuck on the word "_divorce."_

Laius left the room. Aiden looked like he was going to deck the nearest person that wouldn't put up a good fight back. London was a complete statue…while Reyn grinned at Edward, her eyes bright with undhindered happiness.


	14. Attack

**Author's Note: This chapter is probably the shortest but it also is the most impactful one. There is a lot that is going to happen in this. Please enjoy! ^_^**

**I don't own Twilight. Meyer's does.**

Chapter Fourteen: Attack

Reyn did a victory dance once she stepped foot into her room. "Yes! Yes! Yes!" she yelled, now jumping on her bed. "The Devil's whore is going to Hell! Thank you, God!"

Edward chuckled and turned to her couch. Reyn suddenly caught him by the collar and pulled him back. He didn't resist and he found himself lying on her bed. She leaned over and kissed his icy lips.

He responded automatically, kissing her back with chilly passion. He felt her hands slide up his chest while he had his own hands at her lower back.

After a few more moments, she pulled away. "I'm happy you're happy," he said, bringing her into his arms.

"You'll stay tonight?" she inquired. He laughed.

"Well, unlike you're _brother_, who is oblivious to virtually everything, you're father might not take kindly to a boyfriend spending the night in your bed," he said teasingly.

"He likes you. I'm pretty sure he trusts you too," said Reyn, feeling very safe in his arms. "Besides…I _want _you to stay…."

He sighed heavily in mock defeat. "Well, when you say it like _that_, I guess I have no choice."

Reyn laughed mischievously...

* * *

London gripped the hairbrush tightly in her hand, her jaw clenched. _I lost! How on earth could I lose _everything _because of this one stupid boy? I will _not _stand for this! _

All night, she had been thinking these things. All night, she wasn't able to sleep because of the situation that arose. Now, she was staring at herself in the large mirror in the master bedroom. London looked over her features quickly. She looked the same…with her blonde, voluminous hair, her pale skin, and rosy cheeks. Her ice blue eyes were piercing.

"Ugh!" she exclaimed, chucking the brush at the mirror. It made a large crack but it didn't shatter completely. She turned away from her reflection and sauntered off towards the kitchen to find something that had alcohol in it.

She opened up the pantry and found the rack of a variety of drinks, ranging from wine coolers, to beer, to hard alcohol. She vaguely wondered why those brats had alcohol in the home to begin with.

London snatched a bottle of Vodka and slammed it down on the counter. She grabbed a shot glass from the cabinet and poured herself a drink. She downed it in less than half a second.

"Screw it," she said, throwing the shot glass at the fridge door. The little cup smashed on contact and she went back to her room with the bottle in hand.

_Divorce! What the…. I gave that asshole everything he had wanted, _she thought, taking a swig.

In a few hours, she was absolutely wasted. She finished the entire Vodka bottle and was stumbling into the kitchen for more when she saw the _brat_ and her gorgeous boyfriend sitting at the counter laughing together while Reyn was eating breakfast. Edward was playing absently with her other hand and London wanted to gag herself as they looked so lovey-dovey at each other. The second her mother came through the entranceway, however, Reyn froze, staring at her like a deer in headlights. London found that amusing.

"_Still terrified of me, Reyn?" _she jabbed, her speech still fairly understandable. Her stupid boyfriend growled at her but London ignored him. What was with the kid and growling like an animal? She went into the pantry again and picked up a random bottle of alcohol.

"It's okay…" said London, still amazingly able to perform basic bodily functions despite how drunk she was. Then again, she was used to being this wasted from parties and she had been able to hold in a lot of alcohol before she had any effects of it hit her. "You can be scared of me. It pleases me that I've got _some_ sort of control over you. But I guess that won't matter…"

"C'mon, Reyn," said Edward, tugging on her arm and going towards the stairs. She abruptly pulled away from him, staring at London. London smirked at her, opening the bottle to drink from it.

"I don't know _why_ you bother getting all these boyfriends, Reyn. They all end up leaving you anyway," she said airily, resting her elbows on the counter, looking bored while the bottle of whiskey was in her left hand. "You think _this_ kid will be any fuckin' different than the rest of them? He'll leave you eventually. You're very plain…very dull. What boys see in you is fuckin' _beyond_ me…"

"Reyn," hissed Edward, taking her hand. She wrenched it away still gazing at London with a blank face.

"Mother…" she whispered finally. "…_I pity you_…"

London looked up at Reyn with shocked eyes. It took her a moment to reply back. "Pity…?" she scoffed. "I need nothing from you, especially your fucking _pity_."

"Mother…I'm scared of you, I don't deny that," Reyn said, unaware that she was walking towards her mother. "But I'm not going to let you control me anymore when you're around. Whatever you say now…won't affect me. I'm stronger because of Edward."

Her mother rolled her eyes. "You're sappy, pathetic little speech is truly vomit worthy," she said with a patronizing laugh. Her idiotic boyfriend made another feral noise at her. "Look, kid. Either take some fucking action and hit me, or shut the fuck up and walk away, but don't growl at me like a fucking dog. It's annoying…. And _you_, you stupid girl…I'll _always_ have power over you."

He glared at her and looked at Reyn.

Reyn was only a couple feet from her mother now. "You may have had power over me before…and I know I was defenseless too but your mind games aren't going to work anymore. I _can't_ let them work anymore. And…I pity the way you lived your life, mother. It's sad."

Both remained motionless.

* * *

"Alice, you've been reading all night," said Jasper, amused. She smiled and let her head fall back against the arm since she was lounging in it sideways.

"But it's really good!" she exclaimed with a cute smile. "It's one of those forbidden love stories…and it sort of reminds me of Edward and Reyn. You know…how they both like each other but they're just too scared to act on it? It's that kind of story. Although…they _are _acting on it now…but Eddie is still a bit scared and reserved."

Jasper laughed lightly. "Those two will get there eventually. I think they need some time to work things over completely," he said, his eyes gentle. Alice chuckled. "You've seen it, right?"

"Yes…I've seen it and I'm glad," she replied. "Still, Eddie tries to deny it… but I've seen her as a vampire. You should see her, Jazz! She's so gorgeous."

Jasper returned the smile. "Not as gorgeous as you," he whispered and leaned over to kiss her lips. She responded in kind, letting her book slip from her fingers and fall to the floor. He had his weight on his hands, which were resting on either side of Alice while they were in their bedroom.

He felt her freeze after a long moment. Jasper pulled away instantly. Her eyes wide and blank and she was motionless. She was having a vision of the future. Jasper was very use to this procedure and he knew the face she made when she was experiencing a vision.

"Alice?" he whispered after a minute, squatting down. She jerked into an upright position and gasped simultaneously.

"No!" she screamed, standing up in a millisecond. Alice's emotions were frantic and in a state of massive panic. She was yelling rapidly at him, more rapidly than she normally spoke, and couldn't pick anything out except "in trouble." Jasper reached for her arm before she could dash out of the room.

"Alice," he said soothingly, holding her to keep her from making any rash actions. "What's wrong? What did you see?"

Her eyes hadn't lost the alarm in them and she was gripping his sleeves tightly. She shook her head violently. "We have to go now! We have to go!" she cried. Jasper realized that if she could shed tears, Alice would be doing that now. "We have to save her! If we don't go now, she's gonna die! We have to go now! She _can't_ die! She's not going to make it! Carlisle won't be able to change her!"

Jasper was confused. "Alice, calm down…who are you talking about?" he replied. However, as soon as he asked, he understood that she meant Reyn. His face went very blank.

"C'mon!" he breathed, now feeling the panic that she was. "Start the car and call Carlisle. Let him know what's happening! I'll get the others."

Alice bolted out of the room. Jasper found Rosalie and Emmett in the family room on the couch staring blankly at him. Esme was standing at the sliding glass door with the same expression on her face. They had heard the exchange between him and Alice.

"We need to go, _now_."

* * *

Reyn swallowed again. She wasn't necessarily confronting her mother but she knew that she needed to say certain things to put her mother in check. She knew that she was only doing this because she had Edward there with her as her support group. "I'm sorry, mother. I'm sorry that you lost everything…."

London seethed and she slammed the bottle of whiskey down onto the counter. Reyn jumped slightly at the sound.

"I fucking lost everything because of _him_," she hissed, pointing at her boyfriend. "And I will get my revenge on you, Reyn. I am _not _going to let this go."

Reyn lowered her eyes. "I understand. I'll be ready for it."

Before Reyn could turn and walk back to Edward, who was waiting by the stairs, something within London snapped. Edward saw her think of a knife but he didn't understand what that thought meant. Her thought flow was erratic now…he couldn't follow.

In a flash, Reyn fell to the floor with a shriek at London's weight, pain searing across her body, starting at her chest. "You fucking whore!" London shouted, driving the chef's knife deeper into her. Reyn gasped and screamed in agony. "Die! Die, bitch!"

She wrenched the knife from her chest and slammed it back down into Reyn's flesh just before Edward caught her arm. He dragged her off Reyn with next to no effort. "Get the fuck off me, pretty boy!" London yelled, flailing in his arms_. "I'll kill that girl! She has to die!"_

"Reyn!" Edward shouted over her. _"Reyn!"_

The figure near the island counter convulsed with pain while blood seeped through her shirt. She gasped for breath but she shuddered with the effort. Reyn gripped the knife still lodged in her chest, her dark blood dripping through her fingers. She sat up to lean against the counter wall while blood began to trickle down from her lips. Reyn moaned in pain.

The scent of Reyn's blood hit Edward like a wrecking ball but the call was not overwhelming and he was able to resist easily. He had already defeated this monster.

Her wolf came out of nowhere, hovering around his owner, protective. Aero started to growl, his hackles raised, at London.

Reyn was struggling for air as her breaths were ragged and short. Edward dared not let London go and he knew that if he got any closer to Reyn, there was a high possibility that London would find the opportunity to hurt her even more.

Laius ran down the stairs in alarm from the noise and froze at the first landing. He stared down at Reyn at the base of the counter protected only by her pet wolf, and drenched with her delicious blood.

_Blood…._

In that instant, he lost all his thoughts…all his morals. All he knew now was the searing fire in his throat that longed to be satiated. That blood was all he could see now…it was all he could smell. It didn't matter that the blood belonged to his daughter. It didn't matter that she was one of the most precious things in the world…not only to him but to her boyfriend too. All of it seemed to be unimportant. His only thought was the fact that his throat was now scorching with thirst. He _had _to have this blood..._her_ blood. He thought all of this in less than a fifteenth of a second. Edward heard him think of attacking her just as Laius leapt from the stairs and onto Reyn.

She shrieked in agony when his teeth tore ferociously into her neck. She tried to push him off but he was too determined…too strong for her to put up a fight. Reyn felt her father's hand grip her thrashing arm and he snapped it easily in half.

Reyn couldn't yell out in pain…. The dark look in his eyes was unrecognizable and it froze her. She no longer knew this man. He was in a mad frenzy; this was not a battle she would be able to win.

"NO!"

Edward threw London aside, who hit her head on the counter, and leapt for Laius. They collided, Laius' lips leaving Reyn's flesh. They crashed into the wall, leaving deep indentions of their bodies. They were up in a flash, snarling viciously at each other.

Aero's barks were going into hysterics, still close to Reyn while trying to assess the situation. He knew by instincts that he couldn't help Edward but he knew that Laius was not to be trusted and neither was London. Reyn desperately tried to sit up, smearing her blood across the white tile floor. Her mother stirred from her slumped position on the ground not far off.

"Step aside!" hissed Laius, eyes black with thirst. Edward growled at him, crouching in front of Reyn protectively, who was choking on her own blood.

"Not a chance."

Edward lunged quickly at Laius and landed a punch in his gut. Laius flew back into the fireplace before standing up swiftly. He flew toward Edward and faked a punch before landing a hard kick in his head. Edward slammed into the opposite wall.

"Edward!" Reyn gasped, trying to stand. Laius rounded on her, his eyes piercing into her. She froze immediately. "Dad, no!"

Aero leapt over Reyn, placing himself between her and Laius. He growled menacingly and the vampire responded in kind. However, Aero held his ground, despite the fact that he knew that Laius was superior…but the wolf's loyalty was stronger.

Edward dove at Laius' back while he was distracted with the wolf and they flew over Reyn's head just as Aiden was running down the stairs at the commotion. The two men were crouched, snarling at each other and Reyn was coughing blood up with a knife stuck in her chest. Aero was barking madly. "Reyn!" he shouted, jumping the rest of the steps.

He didn't want to touch her but she was bleeding so much…. He could see strange gouges in her neck where she was bleeding the most out of. She pointed wildly behind him, gurgling out, "London!"

Aiden turned and saw his mother in all her insanity. She was bleeding from her head, the blood matting her blonde hair and running down her face while she had a long, boning knife in one hand and a cleaver in the other. "Mom!" Aiden shouted in utter shock. "Stop this! Are you crazy!"

The alcohol had sent her off the deep end. She didn't even take notice of Aiden or his screaming and she kept her eyes straight on her dying daughter. She didn't take notice of the supernatural fighting between the two vampires…she didn't notice the dog snap warningly at her. All she could see was her daughter and wanting more than anything in the world for her to die.

Aiden impulsively rushed forward and gripped her wrists, trying to wrestle the knives from her hands. He slammed her left arm against the counter edge and she yelped, dropping the cleaver. It clattered to the floor at their feet.

Aiden tried to get the boning knife from her but she twisted quickly, jamming the blade up and into his stomach. He gasped and keeled over, gripping the knife in shock.

"M-mom!" he whispered, his eyes wide and glassy.

"Stay the fuck out of this, Aiden!" London hissed, decking him in the face. "This fucking girl is dead!"

Aiden fell onto his side and his sister screamed his name. Reyn tried to back away from London as she advanced on her daughter with the cleaver and now a long steak knife. Reyn started to cry, pleading helplessly.

"Mom…please! Don't do this!" she begged in a rough, rippling voice. She choked, spitting up blood.

"Shut up, you fucking slut," snapped London, her icy eyes portraying murder. "You stole Laius from me! It's your fault! It's all your fault! If one man loves a woman, it's enough for her! It's enough! You took him away, you stupid fucking brat! I loved him first…and he loved me first! You don't deserve to feel what I feel for your father…!_ Die!_ You have to die!"

Reyn stared…. She finally realized why her mother hated her so much. She finally understood the reason for London's behavior….

She thought Reyn had stolen Laius's love from her.

Reyn cried for her mother. Now…she felt very sorry for her. Reyn couldn't help but sob for her because…this whole time, London only wanted to be noticed by her husband. The whole time, she was only looking for Laius to reciprocate her love…. However, because he had a daughter…London was no longer his number one girl anymore. And so, London loathed Reyn. It was so sad….

Reyn closed her eyes, compassion and empathy rising in her throat.

Aiden hesitantly wrenched the knife from his stomach, letting out a gasp of pain. He threw it across the tile, away from London. He placed one of his hands over his puncture wound to attempt to stem the blood flow before he struggled to grip the edge of the counter to heave himself to a stand. He grabbed the phone and dialed 911, his hands slipping from his own blood. "Help! My mom's gone crazy!" he shouted breathlessly. "She's attacking us! She-she stabbed me and my sister!"

There was an ear-splitting shriek of agony again and Edward looked around at Reyn. London was on top of her, pinning her to the floor while driving the steak knife into her body repeatedly…one stab after another. Reyn's screams tore at his skin. He couldn't bear to hear it anymore…it was killing him. "Reyn!" he cried, starting to run to her but Laius caught his leg, making Edward crash into the glass table, shattering it instantly. "Aero! Stop her!" shouted Edward desperately.

Aero obeyed and leapt at London, his jaws clamping down on her arm.

She flew off Reyn with a scream. "8923 Deora Rd., you idiot! The La Pierre Estate!" Aiden was shouting at the top of his lungs. "The estate! Deora Rd…. _Whaddaya mean don't shout at you! _My mom's stabbing my sister!"

"Aiden!" Edward shouted, punching Laius in the face. "Help Reyn!"

He ran to the window where Laius just flew out of only to be tackled by him and pounded to the floor. Edward gasped in pain. This vampire was no rookie in fighting. The only advantage Edward had over him was the fact that he could see his thoughts and know what he was about to do…but even then, the ancient was fast and he outran his thoughts.

Aiden dropped the receiver and ran for Reyn, who now had two knifes lodged in her. "Oh, god Reyn. Oh god…oh god…oh god. What do I do?"

There was a yelp of pain from Aero. Reyn looked over and saw Aero bleeding from his flank but still fighting viciously with her mother. The wound was deep gash and it was causing him to limp. The wolf was trying desperately to rip London's throat out. London was barely keeping him at bay while groping for her knife that was too far from her grasp. "Aiden! He's going to kill her!" Reyn gasped. Aiden didn't even think twice and stood up instantly.

He pulled Aero by the collar with difficulty, while his blood stained the gray and white fur. Pain shot through Aiden's torso. "Stop it! Aero stop!" he commanded, struggling with the wolf in his hands. "Aero! _Enough_!"

Everything was fading in and out of her mind. Sounds, images, smell…all of it kept fluctuating. Sometimes Reyn's vision went dark only to reappear with a flash of pain in her chest. She had never expected to find herself in this situation.

Reyn heard squeals of tires outside the house and she looked up painfully. The windows smashed, sending glass in all directions. She shielded her face, feeling glass cut into her clothes and skin.

When she looked, she almost cried with relief. Emmett and Jasper were pinning Laius facedown to the floor. He was twitching with pain from the way they had him restrained but his eyes were still fixed avidly on his daughter, the thirst driving him wild. Reyn couldn't hold her father's feral gaze for more than two seconds before looking away. Rosalie was holding Aero by the collar, who was barking ferociously at London, who was slipping in and out of consciousness. London's body was mangled from where Aero had torn flesh from bone and bitten at her along her shoulders. Alice was holding up Aiden so he could breathe while talking rapidly to him, telling him that everything would be fine and pressing her hand with a hand towel to stop some of the blood from leaving him. Reyn recognized the beautiful woman standing at the counter. Esme was conversing calmly with the operator on the phone that Aiden had been using….

And Edward…Edward was sobbing tearless sobs while clutching Reyn as close to him as he could without hurting her. "Reyn!" he cried distantly. "Look at me! Look at me!"

He gently turned her head to help her look up at him. Reyn tried to focus on his voice but she couldn't hear it too well. It was fading in and out…close and then far away. She was so much in pain that she was numb while she bled to death. She was going to die…she knew it.

"You aren't going to die, Reyn! Don't even think that!" Edward shouted angrily. Reyn wanted to laugh so badly but her air way was blocked with blood and she choked for breath. Blood dripped from her mouth as she gasped for air. "I'm so sorry…I didn't protect you…I'm so sorry, Reyn…."

She wanted to tell him not to apologize for things he didn't do. She wanted desperately to say something but she couldn't muster enough strength to speak. But she _had_ to say something. She reached up to touch his trembling lips with her fingertips. Edward kissed them gently, whispering for her to stay with him.

"It's okay…" she whispered. He didn't look like he believed her. "….It's okay…."

Edward looked so tortured. If she was going to die…he would die with her. "Just trust me…" she said quietly, smiling gently up at him.

"Okay," he replied, grasping her hand. "I trust you…"

Reyn smiled a wider, more content smile. "I'm glad I got to see your face…one last time…."

Edward's face contorted into spasms of agony. "_Reyn! _Don't-!" he broke off, unable to speak for a moment. "Don't leave…"

She tried desperately to nod…but darkness engulfed her.

Reyn's eyes rolled back into her head and she went completely limp in his arms. Edward shook uncontrollably. "Reyn! No!" he screamed, crying dry sobs. "No! Wake up!"

She didn't move…. He cried into her hair, clutching her warm body. "Please…please wake up…I love you…"

_I love you._


	15. Lost

**Author's Note: A little insight on Edward's perspective. I'm not really going to say much in this because I don't want to give anything away or whatevs. Just read, enjoy it and review, or bash it or whatever your heart desires!**

**I don't own anything twilight. ^_^ only my OCs**

Chapter Fifteen: Lost…

I wandered the La Pierre main house aimlessly. I wasn't really going in any general direction. I just let my legs, my feet, my body do whatever it wanted while I remained in a blank state of mind. I refused to think of anything but her. She engulfed my mind with her pleasantly cute smile…. As I walked, I could smell her familiar scent in every corner of the house…it made me cringe. Her scent was so prominent that it led my feet to her room. I felt my hand reach for the handle and turn it before gently pushing open the door. I stood in the doorway, now suddenly immobilized.

It was painful to stand in here…looking at all the pictures of us she had hung up on her walls. I wanted something…_anything _to keep her close to me.

But there was nothing here to erase the reality that she wasn't with me anymore….

Reyn was gone…she had been for two days. I can still see it…fresh in my mind like a movie replaying itself until the end of eternity. It would keep replaying…haunting me forever. My heart ached. Losing her was like…there aren't even any words that could come close to describing the _agony_ that I was holding within my chest. She was always so strong…but she didn't survive this. I couldn't protect her.

I didn't save her…

Looking at the pictures of us…it was like a knife to an already bleeding heart. Reyn had been one of the happiest, most optimistic people I've ever met. No one, not even Alice, was as optimistic as Reyn. It doesn't even make sense to me how she could be gone. It's…like it hasn't even registered in my mind.

Carlisle had tried everything to keep her alive…he had even bitten her in hopes that the venom would revive her body but she had lost far too much blood for the venom to spread by the time she arrived at the hospital. I had even hoped that her father's venom would have started the transformation process but his venom ran in Reyn's DNA…it wouldn't change her, as we found out.

My family is beside themselves in grief, Alice in particular. She blames herself for not seeing Reyn's death sooner…and she has pushed herself into a state of deep depression. She had been sure on seeing Reyn as a vampire…living among us for the rest of time and even though Alice knows her gift is only objective, she still felt that it was her fault….

Rosalie locked herself in her room and hasn't come out since. I don't understand why she is so upset…I never thought she had cared for Reyn as much as the rest of the family did but I guess I had been wrong. She had had a growing fondness of Reyn that she couldn't explain…and apparently didn't really like either. Rosalie had grown softer because of Reyn.

Jasper is even quieter than he normally is. He hasn't left Alice's side since we've left the hospital, fearing that if he leaves, Alice's mood will only worsen, which could lead to her seeking to have herself killed.

Carlisle and Esme have tried to remain as "positive" as they could but neither of them have the strength to say that things will be okay. They loved Reyn dearly…and Carlisle would give anything to see me happy and he knew that I was happiest when I had Reyn with me.

Even Emmett can't keep a smile on his face. Emmett was probably the closest person to Reyn besides Alice. I knew he loved Reyn like a little sister and that he would have gladly protected Reyn from this fate. The last I saw of him, he had been pushing the soccer ball around in the backyard where he and Reyn would pass the ball back and forth, despite how torrential the rain was.

Laius ran off out of guilt. I don't think he can take the thought of the fact that he attacked his own daughter and contributed to her death. We didn't try to stop him…. I'm not angry with him…it was only expected for vampires to react the way they did. I'm actually very surprised my family was able to keep away from Reyn and Aiden's blood. I guess they had proven themselves a lot more under control than I ever would have guessed. Especially Jasper, I thought he would have lost himself in that hectic environment but he remained calm…and I owe him a little at least for not running after Reyn.

And then there is me…lost and broken…. I don't even know what I'm supposed to do without her now. What was the point of my existence if she didn't exist with me…? It sounded so pathetic and so cliché but it's how I feel. I can't change that.

I would give _anything_ to have Reyn back in my life.

I had finally had her as my own…I had finally had the one woman I would gladly spend the rest of my eternity with…and then like some sick joke, she was stolen from my grasp. God had such a _lovely _sense of humor. What…? Is this karma for how I lived my life? I know I deserve the pain…but even still…why did you have to take _Reyn's _life to instill punishment on me…? Couldn't you just make her reject me?

Did you have to _kill _her?

Reyn would be angry if she heard me blaming God. The thought made a smile twitch across my lips but it left as soon as it was formed. There was nothing for me to smile about…there was nothing I could be happy for. Life is hardly worth living now.

The media caught wind of what had happened to Reyn. The world has gone into a minor state of shock at the brutal death Reyn had suffered from her mother's hands. News teams have been rushing in and around Forks, shooting for their news stations. Pictures of Reyn's body were leaked. Everyone who cared at least the slightest amount would have seen the pictures of the twenty-seven stab wounds she received from various cutlery. The world knew that she was…dead.

The images of her being stabbed crashed over my mind like a tidal wave and I desperately pushed the thought out of my mind.

News crews were able to get many interviews from high school students who knew the twins and from others from the hospital. I heard that they even interviewed Bella…who was in a fit of tears. She probably was feeling somehow guilty for what had happened. I found that I don't care either way…even though I know it was not her fault in even the slightest of ways.

The media found out that us Cullens were very attached to Reyn; no doubt they gained this knowledge from one of the kids that lived in Forks…probably Bella. They've tried to get us to talk but we've remained adamant about keeping our silence. Luckily, Forks police (not that there is much of it) has decided to help us and made sure that the news teams didn't come anywhere near the Cullen household.

However, the La Pierre estate was surrounded with news vans. I could hear all the petty thoughts of the reporters and cameramen just outside the walls of the estate.

I hadn't realized just how important Reyn had been to American culture and beyond. She had been a role model for young women and a poster girl for men. Reyn never would have sold out…and that's what America loved so much about her. She was steadfast in her ability to remain true to herself and not pretend to be something she was not.

But Reyn wasn't just a pro surfer. She wasn't just an actress with a pretty face and a fashion icon. She wasn't just a beautiful girl with the ability to brush off whatever the public thought of her.

She was so much more than that…and the world would never know just how…_amazing_ she was. It sounded so corny in my mind but it was the truth.

I loved her…. No, I _still _love her. She was my world.

* * *

The funeral home was hectic. News team after news team were knocking on its door, begging for a snapshot of Reyn La Pierre's casket and/or an interview with the funeral home owners.

Amanda was thoroughly irritated. She understood the hype…her teenaged daughter was devastated to find out that her idol had been murdered. Even still, these people needed to know when to quit…and apparently they weren't very good at that. That was due to the fact that they were rarely ever told no.

The Cullens were due any minute now to view the body before public viewing began the next day. People have already started camping out and renting hotels around Forks to be a part of it. After the two days of public viewing, Reyn's body would be cremated and the ashes were to be given to Edward Cullen, Reyn's closest friend.

Amanda waited patiently, since she was the only person working today. Police were outside, barring any news teams from entrance.

After ten minutes, there was a commotion outside the doors. Amanda peered through the maroon drapes of a window and could see seven figures shrouded in all black making their way from two cars. The news teams crowded around them like flies to raw meat but the Cullens easily brushed them off, ignoring their demanding questions and flashes from the cameras.

Once they were inside, police retook their positions in front of the main doors.

Amanda had already been standing and waiting for them. After saying a few words and apologizing for the way they had been received outside, the mother led them to the back room where Reyn La Pierre's body was laying.

They specifically had requested that her body remain outside the casket…. They felt that Reyn wouldn't have liked it if they had done everything traditionally. They had also requested that she be dressed in casual clothes. Amanda opened the door to the slightly dimmed room where Reyn was laying on a table, in jeans, traditional low-top Converse All-Stars, and a thin black jacket. The funeral home had done a good job at hiding how mangled she really was.

Amanda left them to their mourning and shut the door.

The room was silent and still. Every one of them remained motionless while they gazed at her body. She only looked as if she were sleeping, waiting to be woken up by friends. She looked so peaceful and…strangely beautiful in this state. They had done a good job of cleaning her up and make it look as though she was not stabbed at all.

Even though she had passed on three days prior…her blood scent still lingered strong. The family barely noticed it though…and thought nothing of it.

Without any warning, Alice fell to her knees in front of the table and began to sob quietly in her hands. Jasper crouched down immediately and took her into his arms. Edward shifted his eyes to the others. Rosalie had buried her face into Emmett's chest; she had not the strength to resist crying as well. Emmett's eyes were glazed over as he stared at the foot of the table, unable to look at Reyn.

Carlisle was the first to approach Reyn's body.

He wanted to take her hand into his but Carlisle couldn't find it within himself to touch her. "Be at peace. We'll miss you…" he whispered. At this, Alice let out a heart-wrenching sob, unable to keep silent.

Carlisle did not back away but Esme also approached the table. "We love you," she said quietly. "We always will."

She too could not bring herself to lean over and kiss Reyn's forehead.

Edward's heart screamed and he closed his eyes, trying to numb himself. He stood in the darkest corner…unable to move. The energy in the room was nearly unbearable…he wanted to run more than anything. He wanted to turn and just run…run until there was nowhere else to run…and then keep running. If there were some way that he could erase or push back the feelings of loss, sorrow, and regret, he would take it. He couldn't take the pain anymore…even if he _did_ deserve it.

But he had to say good-bye first. He owed Reyn that, at least….

He opened his eyes after another long moment. He approached the table where Reyn was lying, trembling from the anguish he was struggling to keep within him so he could remain strong. Reyn wouldn't want him to be too upset over her…but that was like asking the pouring rain in Forks to suddenly stop and never come back.

She looked so serene in this state. Reyn had always looked very peaceful while sleeping…. Except this time, she would never wake up. Her heart was silent…there was nothing.

Finally, Edward approached the table and his parents backed away to give him his space. He lowered his eyes to her face. He couldn't find the words he wanted to whisper to her. He wasn't even sure if he would ever be capable of speech ever again. He parted his lips to say something but only found it useless and he closed his mouth in second thought. But then something unexpected happened.

Reyn inhaled.

The whole room froze at the noise and the silence was so loud on their ears.

"…..Reyn?" Edward whispered.

With a loud gasp, Reyn's body sat up quickly, her chest heaving for air. The vampires all instinctively went into defensive positions before they understood what was happening.

_She's alive…_Edward heard Carlisle think calmly. The familiar muffled thumping of Reyn's heart beating against her chest filled his ears as she began to breathe slower.

All Edward could do was stare, immobilized by the sight of Reyn being alive and breathing. Her cerulean eyes were blank with confusion as she gazed back at the others. She didn't move or speak…she just stared.

Alice practically tackled Reyn and hugged her tight around the neck, crying into her shoulder, but not in sorrow but relief. Reyn was immobilized for a moment before her hands slid up Alice's back to hold her. But…she still looked confused. Edward knew her well enough to know that she didn't understand what was happening.

They remained embraced for a while before Reyn finally spoke.

"Who are you?"

* * *

"_Although the Forks coroner and doctors announced that Reyn La Pierre was dead, she is indeed alive!" _said the news anchor of a non-local news station. She shifted in her seat on the screen. _"Reyn La Pierre is seen here, exiting the funeral home with the family that has been claimed to be extremely close to her, the Cullens. La Pierre sustained twenty-seven stab wounds and was pronounced dead at the hospital-"_

"Turn it off…" I snapped, looking away from the television. I couldn't handle this anymore. I didn't understand what the hell was happening! These people…these _gorgeous _people that surrounded me were watching me intently, waiting for something. It made me uncomfortable so I found myself staring at my hands to avoid their concerned faces.

"You don't remember anything?" said Carlisle, who apparently is my doctor. I didn't know anyone else's name because they didn't bother to tell me; they probably expected me to remember their names…but nothing came to mind when I looked at them. They all feel like strangers to me. I have no recollection of them at all but I can tell by the way the all look at me that I had been close with them.

Obviously, they were not my family…. I look nothing like them and we have different last names. I gathered that much just by watching the very small portion of the news. Not only that…it seemed though I'm somewhat of an "icon" to the world. I wondered why….

"No," I replied to the carpet.

They took me to their home, deep in the woods of this city called Forks. What a dumb name for a city. I guess I lost my memory because they have been claiming to have known me very well, but like I said, I have no idea who they were. They wanted to leave the funeral home so Carlisle could speak in private…or at least away from the news stations and cameras.

I finally looked up.

Carlisle was sitting on the armchair with his elbows resting on his knees while he leaned towards me, looking very serious. There was a woman with long brown hair sitting on the arm of the chair, her hand on his shoulder. She seemed like Carlisle's wife. The two blondes of the group were standing in the corner, watching me intently…like I was food or something.

The other girl with short black hair hadn't let go of me since I woke up. She was gripping my hand now, her icy skin making me a little cold. The big, muscular guy with light brown hair was leaning against the wall, looking concerned. The last guy who had bronze hair hadn't made eye contact with me since the funeral home…and he was still avoiding my gaze.

"Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?" the doctor asked me.

"Sure, I guess," I replied hesitantly.

"Alright, who is the author of the novel _Pride and Prejudice?" _he asked in a calm voice. I rolled my eyes.

"Jane Austen, of course," I said in a matter-of-fact tone. Carlisle nodded to himself.

"Who won the civil war in the United States?"

"The north won mostly by sheer man power and the fact that they had a much easier time supplying their troops with ammunition and other supplies," I said quickly.

"30 times 2?"

"60."

"Can you remember what your favorite color is? Or what your favorite animal is?" he continued.

I opened my mouth to reply before coming up short. I thought for a moment…for a _long_ moment…but nothing came to mind. I felt my cheeks grow warm as I realized that they were waiting for me to say something. How embarrassing to not even remember my favorite things in life.

"I…don't know…" I finally admitted sheepishly.

I could feel the room's atmosphere sink a little.

Carlisle didn't answer me and turned to the bronze haired guy specifically. I wondered why.

"It's obvious that she has retained all memory except her own life experiences. She can't recall what she may have done or liked but she can remember facts and other things," explained Carlisle. Okay, seriously? I'm right in front of you. You could just tell me to my face….

"I don't understand…" replied the bronzed haired guy, finally looking in my direction, but he only glanced before returning his attention back to Carlisle. "How did this happen?"

"Her brain experienced too much emotional trauma and either did one of two things," Carlisle said, looking a little thoughtful. "Either one: her brain buried all her memories of her own life and has to uncover them as she heals and goes along or two: Reyn's mind, in order to protect itself, wiped itself clean and therefore, can never remember what she had done or liked. She will have to start all over again."

The bronze haired guy looked very displeased…and maybe upset. "So, either way," he said with a sigh, "her memory is gone."

"Basically."

The entire family looked back at me for a moment before Carlisle smiled a gentle smile. It was hard not to smile back at him, and so I did, feeling my lips pull across my face for the first time since I've been "awake from death."

"For starters, I think we should all reintroduce ourselves to you," he said, a little too cheerfully. I agreed to it, my curiosity too great to refuse.

"I'm Carlisle Cullen, and this is my family," he replied. "You have been very good friends with my son, Edward," he gestured to the bronzed-hair guy that he had been speaking to, "and hence, befriended the rest of the family.

"This is my wife, Esme…" he said pointing to the beautiful, slightly older looking woman compared to the others, "and these are my adopted children. This is Emmett, Alice, and of course, Edward."

Carlisle had pointed to the tall, handsome, well-built guy with curly brown hair, then to the small, sprite-like gorgeous girl with a dark pixie haircut, and then to Edward again…who was utterly beyond gorgeous.

I looked at their adoptive parents and I smiled. They would have been much too young to have real children in their older teens…so it explained why all of them did not look related to one another and why I did not assume they were family from the beginning.

"Although they aren't my children, I treat them as such, since they live with us," the doctor continued. "They are brother and sister and are also dating Alice and Emmett. This is Rosalie and Jasper Hale."

Rosalie was unbelievably beautiful…and her brother Jasper was just as good looking. He was the one with honey-blonde hair in a loosely cut hairstyle and was about the same height as Edward. Rosalie could probably be compared to the Greek Goddess of Love, Aphrodite. She had beautiful eyes and platinum blonde hair, full with volume and waves.

I gazed at all of them as a whole. They were all gorgeous…I couldn't really choose which one I thought looked the best. I wondered how a family could look so good.

All of them had a different appeal to their beauty. Carlisle was very sophisticated and gave off the olden-days charm of a man who was chivalrous. His wife, Esme's beauty…well, she was so mature and motherly; she was the type of mom everyone would want. Emmett radiated out a very manly, adventurous vibe, which was attractive, whereas his girlfriend, Rosalie, projected the classic, refined and reserved attitude. Her brother, Jasper, was not much different because he also seemed very reserved but he also emulated a mysterious aura that could interest anyone. Alice…well, it was plainly obvious that she was a high-spirited, fun, outgoing, bubbly beauty that any guy on the planet would fall in love with almost instantaneously.

And then there was Edward.

I couldn't pinpoint where his appeal was. He was conflicting. Edward had the same sort of mysteriousness as Jasper did but he also seemed to be just as charming and traditional as his adoptive father. I could even pick up on an underlying vibe him being a bit audacious and playful, like Emmett. Those eyes were so deep…and they were constantly staring at me.

Speaking of eyes, I noticed that every one of them had the same yellow-gold color for their irises. Although, some of them varied in shade. Rosalie's and Esme's seemed a bit darker than the rest of them.

"So…" I said after a long time, "I'm best friend's with _you_…" I looked directly at Edward, "which makes me good friends with…_all _of you…?"

Edward smiled. "You're family to us, Reyn," said Alice gently. "We're the only people you have…."

I let my gaze rest on Alice, who was smiling at me with bright eyes that were hidden by a mask of obvious pain. I felt suddenly very angry. I didn't like the fact that I couldn't remember a single thing about my personal life but I can remember stupid shit like all the states in the US in alphabetical order or how to make cheesecake from scratch. I mean, what the hell! Why do I remember useless crap like _that _but not what my favorite song is or what I like to do in my free time or what my own middle name is?

"Can someone just explain everything to me from the very beginning?" I blurted out, knowing very well that I sounded very harsh. "I don't wanna be rude or demanding but I...I just would really like to know everything. Is that too much to ask anyone? Why was I even in the hospital? Why can't I remember any of you? I just…I just don't understand."

No one made to speak first. After a moment, Edward took his hands out of his pockets and walked towards me.

"Come with me," he said quietly, holding out his hand to me. I felt myself lean back very slightly in confusion while I stared up at his face. I started to grow hot at the cheeks.

What the hell?

He understood my hesitancy. "I'll explain everything you want to know but you have to come with me first," he pressed.

I wanted to look at the others, at Alice especially because I felt like I could trust Alice for some reason…which isn't to say that I don't trust Edward…since he apparently is my best friend, but I just didn't understand why we had to leave.

But he was my best friend. I don't want to put him, or the others, in any more pain than they have already experienced because of what had happened to me. I released Alice's hand to put mine in Edward's. The feel of the room somewhat lightened…I could feel the minor relief set in their hearts.

If I didn't do this for me, I had to at least do it for the Cullens. They cared about me, that much was clear.


	16. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

**Author's note: Hello everyone. Sorry it's been so long. I've been crazy hectic for the last few months. anyways, enjoy...sorry with the cliffhangers and stuff. Thank you so much for all the reviews and feedback. I'm so flattered. Oh, i don't own anything Twilight or otherwise. So anyways, ENJOY!**

Chapter Sixteen: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough**  
**

Edward pulled into the La Pierre estate smoothly, glad that the police decided to finally kick the paparazzi and news teams off the property. Aiden had some say in that, wanting to be left alone to mourn the death of his sister. However, he was not here. He was with his own friends most likely to help him get through this difficult time. Edward wondered vaguely when the reservation would get the news that Reyn was in fact alive.

During the drive, Edward realized why she was probably alive now. She had healed completely from all her wounds from the car accident in three days. It was three days ago when she was attacked and murdered by her sadistic mother. Three days was the magic number. Her body healed…. So Edward guessed that meant that she would never die…at least until she grew old. Or did she not grow old? There were too many questions.

Another thing that Edward thought of was the fact that he still couldn't hear her mind. He had been a little hopeful that because the mind had been completely erased, maybe the structure was different. However, he was not able to read her mind. In fact, that mental wall that he always felt around her mind was stronger than ever. He found that rather frustrating.

Speaking of Reyn, she had been silent the whole way to the house. Edward wanted desperately to say something, to tell her how much he loved her and cared for her…but he didn't want to scare her. More than anything…he just wanted her to remember him…to remember everything they had together, even if there wasn't that much.

He parked next to the fountain and shut off the car, letting the mild rain hit the windshield untouched. He wanted to bring himself to look at her but he hadn't been able to since she awoke. It was weird…because the look in her eyes weren't the same to him. He wanted to see the same sparkle but it wasn't there anymore. They were so listless.

Reyn looked up at the house, a frown on her features.

"I can't go in there," she said suddenly, her eyes glazed over.

Edward looked over at her in minor shock. "Why not?" he replied after a long moment. She lowered her eyes to the dashboard.

"I…I'm just gonna feel bad for not remembering anything…"

He understood her concern.

"Or you…might remember something from seeing the things that you were familiar with," said Edward slowly, staring at the steering wheel now. She agreed after some time.

Reyn looked at him. "I'm sorry that I don't remember you. This has to be pretty hard for you to deal with."

He couldn't help himself but speak openly. "Listen to me," he began, turning his gaze back to her. "I care about you, Reyn. It doesn't matter what you remember or don't remember. I just want to help you."

She tore her eyes away from his first; the intensity was too much for her. "Thank you, Edward. You didn't have to do this…but you chose to help me anyway and I'm grateful."

_I _do_ have to do this. I promised you I'd be with you…that I'd protect you. I can't leave you, _he thought. He wished he could express that to her.

They left the car and approached the door to the house. Edward could tell that she was a little nervous; her heart was beating a little faster than normal.

The Cullens and Aiden, in the three days span, already had had someone clean up the shattered glass and put in new window so the rain won't start flooding the house. A construction crew was here too, replacing the bloodied carpet, fixing the drywall, and repainting. They also had to replace the fireplace too. At the sight of Edward and Reyn, they all paused in their work, most already aware that she was alive again but were still in shock to see her there in the house. Reyn decidedly kept her face away from them and didn't meet their curious eyes.

Reyn seemed very confused, if not lost. She wandered around the kitchen for a moment, looking at everything and trying to see if she recognized something…anything.

Edward watched her pass by the spot where she died in his arms and he internally cringed. The thought was still so fresh and it still killed him inside to think he went through three unbearably emotionally painful days thinking he had lost her forever.

She turned to Edward. "Where is my room?"

"Upstairs…" he replied, disheartened because she wasn't remembering anything. He led her to the third floor. Her bedroom door was closed and Reyn hesitantly reached for the handle to open it.

She pushed open the door after another moment and stared at the surroundings. Aero had been sleeping on her bed, having to be locked up in the room because of construction, but when he saw Reyn, he jumped up and practically tackled her.

Aero had a bad limp though. Alice and Jasper had taken him to the vet and they stitched up his minor wound across his back flank. However with the way he attacked Reyn, he probably reopened the wound and would start bleeding again.

It was the first time she laughed since she had been alive again. Aero was licking her face in joy that his master was home. He had been so excited that he had pushed Reyn to the floor, where she was wrestling with him to breathe while laughing.

Edward felt himself smile at the sound of her laugh. He had missed it so much.

Finally, he pulled Aero off Reyn so she could stand again and more importantly, look around in the room. He prayed for her to remember something but he had this gut feeling that she wouldn't.

She stared at a shadowbox full of pictures of them together or with the Cullen family. Over the months, between her, Alice, and Esme, she accumulated so many pictures. Edward couldn't remember taking so many pictures in his life before her.

"I really _was _close to you guys…" she said more to herself, absently petting the top of Aero's head while still looking at the collages of pictures. "But I still don't remember anything…and you still haven't told me anything too."

"You're right," he admitted, still smiling. "I haven't. What would you like to know?"

"Everything."

And so, he told her. He told her the situation with her parents. He told her how her father abandoned her, but for good reason. Told her of the constant and scarring abuse she had from her mother. He told her that the reason that she has no memory is because of the stabbings her mother did to her. Edward spoke of Aiden, her friends, her lifestyle as an actress, an American icon, and a pro-surfer, the places she lived…he told her everything he could possibly think of.

Except…not that he and his family were vampires. Edward did _not _tell her that she and Aiden were half-vampire, or that her father was one of the very first vampires to be created. He didn't tell her that werewolves existed and that most of the La Push kids were werewolves. Edward didn't tell Reyn that he was in love with her and she had been just as in love with him. He didn't tell her that he wanted to marry her, turn her...and live together for the rest of eternity.

He failed to mention any of those things…which were the most important things he should have to say.

She had been completely quiet throughout his long speech that lasted about an hour and half or so. Reyn was sitting motionless on the couch, Aero's head in her lap while he laid with her, staring blankly at the cream colored carpet.

"I don't understand why my mom would hate me so much. Did I ever tell you what I did to make her feel that way?" she asked finally.

Edward sat down beside her. "You never did anything wrong, Reyn. London is just a very evil person. There is not a single good bone in her body."

She was quiet again. He didn't want to make her feel awkward by looking her intently so he didn't look at her directly but instead, he watched her from his peripheral vision. After another minute or so, she stood up and took a few steps forward, holding her arms as if she was cold. She turned to look at him but Edward kept his eyes at the floor, wanting her to feel comfortable to talk.

But Reyn started to cry.

First, it was just a few tears that streaked her flawless cheeks and Edward, for the sake of her pride, pretended not to notice. However, the few tears turned to many; she began to weep into her hands in complete despair.

She couldn't explain it.

There was this empty feeling in her heart. It felt like there was nothing there…not emotions or memories…or anything. Because she couldn't remember anything, confusion and loneliness were overwhelming her. Not being able to recall the simplest things like her favorite movie or book was…terrifying.

Reyn wanted nothing more than to remember.

Edward could not longer ignore her desperate sobs. He stood up and pulled her into an embrace, letting her cry into his chest. Her hands clutched the front of his shirt tight.

Hearing her cry was like a jagged knife to the heart. Edward wanted to make it better…to erase her fears. He wished he could just whisper to her the things she wanted to her without feeling like he was lying.

Her legs felt weak and she started to slip in his arms. Edward understood and they went to the floor, Reyn still weeping.

She felt safe.

It was weird…she didn't know him. Well, she _did_ know him…she just couldn't remember. But the feeling of being completely secure while he embraced her felt…familiar. It was a distant reaction…like she hadn't felt this safe in years…but it was there, beating in her heart.

This man cared about her more than he let on.

* * *

Edward had thought Aiden would have burst through the front doors at the news that his sister was alive. However, he didn't even come home. Edward guessed that no one in La Push paid much attention to the media, hence Aiden not having heard that his twin was alive. Edward would call him in the morning.

Reyn refused to stay at her estate by herself, especially because she didn't feel comfortable. Edward took her back to his family's home, where they met her warmly. She still was a bit shy with them…but her personality was already starting to break through the walls she threw up to protect herself. Her being able to cry herself into a state of peace helped her; he knew that she had been uncomfortable with idea of having to rebuild her life but with knowledge that she had him and his family to support her, she wasn't so frightened anymore.

She was sleeping in his bed now. Edward was lying next to her, staring at her face. Of course, she had no idea that he was there with her.

The house was relatively quiet tonight. Rosalie, Jasper, Emmett, and Alice all left at 9:30 to hunt about a hundred miles north of Forks; they'd be back just before daybreak. They had told Reyn they were going to go see a movie. Luckily, they already knew that Reyn had no interest in seeing a movie so she didn't ask to accompany them. Downstairs, Carlisle and Esme were in their room, both reading. Edward smiled to himself.

He liked his pseudo parents' relationship. They were able to sit next to each other in complete silence, reading, and still enjoy each other's company. They still loved each other…after the monotony of eternity.

Edward rested his head on the pillow beside her and shut his eyes, listening to Reyn's breathing. He didn't know how long he laid there, motionless next to her, her heart beating in his ears. It was the most comforting sound to him…it meant she was alive…and that was all that mattered to him.

Flashes of a familiar scene attacked his mind.

* * *

"_Oh my god, oh my god, we're gonna die, we're gonna die, we're gonna die!" he heard himself say, feeling panic run through his chest. His voice was much higher pitched than normal. He was staring out at the heavy rain smacking the windshield. He shut his eyes, terrified, but he still saw the flash of lightning through his eyelids. The lightening was followed closely with a roaring noise of thunder._

"_Relax, Reyn. You're completely safe. It's okay," a male's voice say to his left._

_Wait…that was his voice…_

"_Yeah, tell that to me when I'm _dead!"_ he shouted in a girl's voice, still blind. The man beside him laughed. Edward heard the car he sat in accelerate more and he whimpered, the noise incredibly girly. After a few more minutes, he could see again because he opened his eyes. The scenery had been a freeway before but now it was a two-lane highway just near the coast and in the mountains. He glanced over the driver of the car._

_And saw himself sitting there, looking very pleased._

_

* * *

_

Reyn was dreaming her memories.

Edward opened his eyes and sat up to look at her. He kept receiving flashes of the memory in his mind, of Alice's Porsche slamming into the passenger door of the Lamborghini. Reyn twitched in her sleep.

He was surprised he was even getting anything from her mind. Normally, it was so blocked off with mental resistance that he couldn't even attempt to get an inkling of what she was thinking.

This was the most he had ever received from her mind in one sitting.

Her memory came to a grinding halt when she dreamt of the car crashing into trees and slammed her head against the windshield. Reyn jerked herself awake and gasped. Edward immediately dashed out of the room and stood outside the door, wondering what she was going to do.

He couldn't read anything from her mind anymore. It was sealed again.

Reyn was breathing heavily for a moment before he heard her climb out of the bed. She paced the floor a few times just before Esme and Carlisle came up the stairs, looking concerned.

_Is she okay…?_

Esme had spoken through her thoughts. Edward nodded.

"I'll tell you later," he whispered as quietly as he could, knowing Reyn couldn't hear him. They stood there for a moment before Carlisle indicated that he understood. He pulled Esme down the stairs.

"Edward!" Reyn shouted.

He counted to forty-five, which was the longest forty-five seconds of his life before he decided to reach for the door handle. However, Reyn was walking towards the closed door and Edward quickly backtracked down the stairs to the first landing.

"Edward!" she repeated loudly, wrenching the door open. Edward walked up the stairs at a human pace, seeing Reyn looking as though she had a mixture of happiness and confusion running through her.

He didn't know why but looking up at her at the top of the stairs with one of his t-shirts on, a pair of comfy sleeping shorts, provided by Alice, and her hair messy made his heart melt.

She was just so beautiful…he couldn't get over it.

"What's wrong?" he asked as he climbed the rest of the stairs to meet her on the second floor landing.

She shook her head and turned on her heel to walk back into his bedroom. Edward followed her, hiding a smile on his face. "The craziest thing just happened!" she exclaimed. Reyn was beginning to sound like herself again.

Edward pretended like he didn't know and cocked his head slightly to the side. "What?" he asked curiously.

She started pacing again, running her hands through her hair. "I dreamt!" she said, stopping, looking excited. Edward wanted to let his relief and excitement come forth but he had to pretend like he had no idea what she meant by the statement.

He sat down on the chaise he had, eyebrow raised. "You dreamt?" he said, feigning confusion.

Reyn's back had been facing him and she whirled around, eyes bright. "I was in a car crash, wasn't I?" she said, letting the memories of the day Edward nearly killed her rush back through her mind. Edward could see that these memories of hers were only getting stronger, brighter…as if they only just happened. Normally, a dream will fade over time and the dreamer won't remember what they had dreamt.

Edward let his face evolve into a look of realization. Seeing that he was astonished that she could remember, she clapped a hand over her mouth.

"I remember!" she cried.

Reyn was clearly in awe and astounded by her revelation. After she stood there motionless for a few moments, she threw herself at him. Edward hadn't seen that coming and was now in his own state of shock. She hugged him tight around the neck.

And that's how she began to remember.

For the next two weeks, she would dream of different memories she had throughout her life, some recent, some from when she was young. Every night, she woke up, recalling more and more of her life.

Edward hadn't been so happy. Yes, she still probably only gained 2% of her memories back through her dreams thus far…but it was progress.

Things were going back to normal…save a few things.

The first thing that was different was the fact that Aiden was now much more pleasant with Edward. In fact…Edward thought that Aiden finally had some respect for him. Aiden also spent much more time with his sister, which also meant time with the Cullen's. Edward, via Aiden's thoughts, knew that he wanted to mend his relationship with Reyn and thought that this was the best opportunity that he had. Edward was pleased that her brother was now interested in being a part of her life again…in a good way.

The second thing…well, Aiden knew about everything.

When the Cullen's heard that the La Push pack unveiled the secret about werewolves and vampires, they were unsure how to react. Aiden had been okay with it; it explained a lot about himself, about the attack on Reyn and why his father had been behaving so weirdly, and about his friends. However, he also promised that he wasn't going to tell Reyn, fearing it would play out much differently than it did before, so he kept his mouth shut.

The final thing was the media. Well, it wasn't different…but for the last few weeks, it had been a roller coaster ride for anyone who had been involved with Reyn's death and rebirth.

The media had been trying to explain away why Reyn was alive again. First, they didn't have a reason, then some sources started claiming that it was a huge publicity stunt the La Pierre's had created. However, this was almost immediately disregarded because the pictures of Reyn's stabbing and the confession of London La Pierre, who was in an institution for the mentally insane, were too convincing.

Reyn didn't really like dealing with the press so Aiden mainly dealt with it himself. Laius had not come out of hiding. No one knows where he disappeared too. He was still running his business as usual…but without appearing to any meetings and such. Edward was a little worried about Reyn's father.

Today, was three weeks after the stabbing. Reyn had asked to spend time with Edward alone today. She had warmed up to him quickly now that she remembered some of the things they use to do together. However, she still had not recovered memories of him being a vampire or that they had been boyfriend and girlfriend.

So, the rest of the Cullen family went out for a day at the mall, leaving the pair alone and Aiden, grudgingly, went to be with his friends at La Push.

Reyn and Edward were sitting in his room, blasting the _This is War _CD by 30 Seconds to Mars, playing the card game "Slap Jack." Edward, of course, was winning because his reflexes were much faster than hers but she was having fun. Both were laughing hysterically.

"I want ice cream."

Edward had been reaching for the pile of cards he just won when he paused. "Yeah?" he asked, straightening up his deck.

"Please!" she said, smiling. Edward felt his stomach clench at the sight of her grinning. She really didn't know the affect she had on him. "My treat."

Edward snorted to himself and pulled her to a stand. He didn't even bother to reply to that statement as they went downstairs. Edward pulled her coat out of the closet and held it up for her to put on before he grabbed his.

It was raining pretty hard today as they climbed out of the car twenty minutes later in front of the only ice cream shop in town. Reyn told Edward to surprise her with whatever flavor of ice cream while she waited outside.

Edward went inside, the young girl he had seen around school before blushing at the sight of him. She looked to be about sixteen or so. "What can I get you today?" she asked shyly. He smiled gently at her.

"May I have two scoops of chocolate chip cookie dough, please?" he asked, pulling out his wallet from his jacket pocket; that's what Reyn had gotten the last time they were here….

The last time…. Edward remembered. The last time, he had told her that he was a vampire…. The last time, Reyn had just gotten out of the hospital and he had to tell her. Reyn had accepted him without any hesitation and Edward to this day couldn't figure out what she saw in him to make her so trusting of him.

The girl fumbled with the ice cream scooper.

"Is this two separate scoops?" she asked, bringing him out of his reverie.

Edward shook his head. "No, just in one cup, please. Oh, and could you put a to-go lid on it."

"Sure," she replied, struggling with the ice cream. She was very much red in the face, which Edward found amusing.

_Keep your cool, Melissa! Don't act like an idiot! Oh my gosh, he is so gorgeous, _she was thinking as he watched her put the ice cream in a cup.

He turned to look out the window. Reyn was standing under the canopy, staring out at the pouring rain.

"Three dollars and sixty-eight cents is your total," the girl said, placing the ice cream cup and spoon on the counter. Edward paid, received his change, and took the ice cream. The girl's thoughts were hectic about how beautiful he was. Edward ignored it but smiled to himself.

"Thank you," he said and putting a five into the tip jar for her, just before he turned to leave.

He paused mid-stride.

Reyn was such a kid. She was standing with arms out, head facing the sky with her mouth wide open, in the rain. She was already pretty wet. Luckily, no one else was in the parking lot because she was blocking the only way in and out.

Edward opened the door. "Hey!" he shouted, more amused than annoyed. "Get out of the rain! You're going to get sick!"

He couldn't possibly be irritated with her. He had only just gotten her back and…losing her made him appreciate every moment he had with her.

She turned on the spot, dropping her arms and laughed. "But it feels so good!" she yelled back over the sound of the rain pounding on the ground. She spun around a few times, opening her mouth again to catch the water. Edward couldn't help but laugh aloud before he went to meet her in the rain.

"Here's your ice cream, dork…" he said, handing it to her. She took from his hands and smiled.

"Thank you!" she said brightly. "What did you get me?"

"Chocolate chip cookie dough," he replied, walking towards his Volvo.

Reyn stopped and stared into the ice cream and everything came back to her.

Everything….

9


	17. Shock

**Author's note: haha I updated in a much more timely manner. Anyways...this chapter has a bit of the dirty dirty, if you catch my drift. ;) so, that means this chapter is rated at a more mature teen. if you don't like anything at ALL sexually related, please forgive me. That's all I say. Anyways, thanks for reading and reviewing and whatevs. You guys are awesome. **

**I don't own anything of the Twilight too. Forgot to mention that.  
**

Chapter Seventeen: Shock

"_Chocolate chip cookie dough."_

_It echoed in my mind._

"_Vampire!" I very nearly shouted after a few seconds of excitement. Edward looked away from me, obviously feeling really uncomfortable now. He didn't answer me right away and I knew…that I had won._

_Victory was sweet! _

_Before he had adverted his eyes away from me, I had saw the small twinkle in his eyes. I knew that, yes, he was a little uneasy about my knowing of his vampiric existence but at the same time…he looked a bit relieved. Now, he didn't have to hide it anymore._

_There was an explosion of curiosity that I had to satiate. I had to know what it was like…living for so long…. How did he find meaning in his life? Did he kill people? Or did he just rob blood banks and drink from those? _

_Not only that, Edward being a vampire, as well as the rest of the family, explained so much. It explained why they were all so god damn gorgeous, why Edward had such an old-age charm about him, or why he never fricken ate around me!_

"_Can you transform into a bat?" I blurted out before I could stop myself. Edward still didn't look at me but chuckled lightly. He rolled his eyes. _

"_Legend." _

_I was disappointed. That would have been a cool trick to see but it didn't stop me from asking more. "Do you sleep in coffins?" I inquired. _

"_I slept with _you_, didn't I?" he snapped at me. _

_I felt myself grow hot from embarrassment. I still was in a little shock that he had done that but just hearing him say that pleased me to know end. All I could say was, "Oh, right."_

_He looked gently at me. "But…technically…I don't sleep at all," he confessed. _

_But before I said anything, another memory flashed before my eyes._

_I felt terrified._

_Oh yeah…I was about to be raped. I remember the desperation in my voice as I begged Andrew to stop. He backhanded me before I could even finish my sentence. I've never really been reduced to begging before but this seemed like a good time to do it. I could see the desire…the hunger. Rape wasn't about the pleasure…it was about forcing control…or power on another person. I could see that need to exert his power on me in his icy blue eyes…eyes like my mother's. I knew I couldn't do anything. I was far too small to fight back, especially since I was already pinned to the floor and he was fingering me. I was disgusted with myself more than I was with him_

_I blamed myself. It was karma for fighting with Edward over the phone. Not only that, I should have known to not go wandering off alone in the house. Was I really so stupid?_

_Yes, I guess I was._

_But I really had wanted to get away from the superficial idiots downstairs. I guess I should have just locked the door behind me for privacy but I just didn't think about it. All I wanted was to be alone._

_The moment I accepted my fate and was ready to not fight back, I was free. _

_It had happened so fast. I remember seeing Andrew fly off me and crash into a dresser behind him. The sight of Edward rescuing me brought on a combination of emotions. Mostly relief…but then I felt the burning shame in my chest. _

"_You miserable, son-of-a-bitch," he snarled, placing himself between me and Andrew who was struggling to stand up. Edward wasn't exactly standing defensively because he knew he could crush the guy with next to no effort but he still looked impressive._

_I had backed myself into a corner, scared. I hated to admit it…but a small part of me was frightened of Edward and the way he was behaving. It was predatory, in a way._

_Edward was more than enraged. I could feel his murderous intent as he slammed Andrew into the drywall, holding him up by the neck. I couldn't find it myself to tell Edward to stop…because I wanted Edward to kill him. It was a dark thought…but at the moment I hadn't cared. _

"_If you _ever_ touch her again, or any other girl for that matter, I will make you pray for your own death," Edward hissed just before he threw my assailant across the room. His back connected with a mirror, shattering the glass._

_Once Andrew fell to the floor, he sprinted out the door in his drunken state._

_Edward was standing, glaring after him for a few minutes and I didn't know what was going to happen. Was he going to chase him down and kill him? It seemed like he was debating on it. He was valiant…trying to defend my honor and all._

_I fell more in love with him that night._

_That memory washed away and another swarmed my mind's eye._

_I was dying._

_Seeing Edward gaze down at me with the most pained look in his golden eyes was the worst feeling I've endured. I wanted to make everything okay. I couldn't even feel the pain of breathing anymore. I only felt the contrast of my warm blood across my clothes and the iciness of Edward's skin on me._

_I wished he didn't have to see me like this, to see the one he loved die in his arms. I wanted to at least stay conscious enough to get into an ambulance…and then let go. _

_However, as I stared up at Edward's angel face…behind him…was a light._

_It wasn't any ordinary light…it was bright; it blacked out Edward completely, who was sobbing dry sobs, begging me to hold on a little longer. I wasn't ready to go yet but I knew it was my time. I told him…it'd be okay._

_And I wasn't lying._

_I've died once before, so I wasn't scared to die again. I guess I should have told Edward that a long time ago…but I couldn't tell him now. I had no time to explain that story._

_Thinking of that memory made me flash back to it._

_I was nine years old._

_Thinking back on my short time on Earth…I've been through more freak accidents and tragedies than any normal person. But the second I was conceived, I wasn't normal. I was half-vampire. I guess my life makes for a good book if I ever felt like writing an autobiography on the crazy shit that has happened to me. I'm sure it'd do really well._

_My brother and I took separate flights to Sydney, Australia, where our parents were shipping us off to…and not coming with. I was a little confused for various reasons. One: why were Aiden and I taking two separate flights? It was a waste of money on the private jets. Two: Why wasn't daddy coming with me? I could care less about my mother…she could have died and I wouldn't have been devastated. All I wanted to know why my dad refused to come with._

_The last time I saw him, he looked like he was in massive pain. It had grown from an occasional look like that at me…to an everyday, every moment occurrence when he interacted with me. I had started to think he was being brainwashed by my mother and he no longer loved me. I had asked him about it…he told me it was nothing, all with a strained smile on his face. He looked like he was trying to hold himself back._

_Well…now I knew why. He was a vampire…and _I _smelled delicious. _

_Anyways, I was on the private jet alone, my brother still in Hawaii. It was me, the pilot, and two flight attendants aboard the small plane. The attendants were there to keep me entertained. It should have been a direct flight…across a lot of ocean. I had flown so much already that this was really nothing new._

_That is…until our plane crashed._

_No one on board survived, including me. I remember, strapped in my seat in a state of panic, probably crying, as the plane did a nosedive into the ocean. _

_We died instantly._

_I remember waking up, in a daze, confused on where I was and what was happening. I had still been strapped to a seat that was floating. I was alive and healed just as a boat was pulling up next to the wreckage of the plane. I remember the reactions of pure amazement to see I was completely unharmed and still breathing._

_No one ever knew I had actually died…and I never told anyone._

_From what I gathered from the news at my young age was that the plane had went down in the middle of the ocean. A distress signal was sent out before the plane crashed and it took three days for boats and helicopters to find our exact location. They recovered the other three bodies of the pilot and the two flight attendants. The cause of the crash?_

_Our pilot, who quite young…maybe mid-twenties…died while he was flying the plane. How? That was the best part of the entire story, other than me miraculously "surviving" the crash._

_They found poison in his blood stream. I was too young to be able to remember the kind of poison but I remember that he had been murdered. The media went nuts on trying to find motives of why he was killed, which all linked back to me somehow. I was an innocent child-star. I had done nothing._

_No one could figure out who was responsible for homicide. Whoever poisoned the pilot cleaned up his tracks well. Plus, there was still no motive on to _why _the person poisoned the pilot._

_I would stake my life that my mother got to him the day of the flight, seduced him, and then poisoned him somehow, which would result in my death. For a while, I thought I was crazy for accusing her like that in my mind. Now, however, I'm almost positive that she tried to indirectly kill me._

_My mother is sadistic. Enough said._

_But despite having a mother like that…I also had Edward._

_Edward…_

_I miss him._

_

* * *

_

Reyn stared blankly down into the cup of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream. Like semi truck to the face, everything she had ever been through, all her memories she thought she had lost…hit her.

She could see everything…

Edward was a vampire. So was his family. The La Push kids? They were werewolves. Aiden had been a douche bag but he earned his way back into her heart, her mother…Satan's whore. No, no…Satan's _bride_. Her father was an ancient vampire…he had been around for hundreds of thousands of years. Bella…Reyn wanted to punch her face in.

She was half vampire and an icon to pop culture and teens across the world. Just like that, everything came rushing forth in her mind because of four…insignificant words.

_Chocolate chip cookie dough._

Those four silly words brought back the memory of finding out that Edward wasn't even human. Those four words gave light to the dark haze in her mind.

Reyn slowly let her eyes lift up and gazed through the rain at the figure walking away from her towards the car she hated seeing him drive. He stopped at the driver's door and turned to her, smiling.

"You coming?" he laughed. "Or are you going to dance in the rain some more?"

She stared at him, the shock of regaining her memories still rooting her to the spot. All the feelings she had for him were stronger than she had ever felt before. Knowing that she put him through so much in the last three weeks, watching her die and then witnessing her waking up from the dead must have been hard on him. And then she couldn't even remember him when she was alive?

And yet…he stuck by her side and loved her all the more through the entire ordeal.

"Reyn…?" Edward said, now growing concerned because she wasn't moving. He looked like he was debating going over to her.

She remembered.

Her feet…they had to move. She took a few steps slowly towards him.

She remembered how in love she was with him. She remembered that he was in love with her. She remembered that there was no one else in the world she could possibly see herself with…just him and only him. She remembered that he was the only one who was there for her when she was at her weakest. He had been there when she couldn't hold herself up anymore…he had cared for her when no one else would.

She _loved_ him.

Not just him…but everything about him and things that reminded her of him. His family, his life, his personality, his views…_everything. _She loved everything. She loved laughing with him…the comfortable silence they could share. She loved rolling over every morning and was there, lying next to her with loving eyes. She didn't care if that sounded sappy or pathetic. It didn't matter what anyone else thought.

Reyn felt hot tears sting her eyes while the cold rain splashed at her cheeks. The sudden knowledge of recollection was like breaking out of a cage after being imprisoned for so long. She broke out into a sprint, running the rest of the way to him. She dropped her ice cream onto the wet asphalt, no longer concerned about that. Before he could say anything, Reyn threw herself into his arms, slamming him into the closed car door, and kissed his icy lips.

Edward froze, taken aback at what was happening but after a moment, kissed her back, all the passion he had been holding back for so long reawakening within him. He already knew…. She remembered everything. He didn't have to read her mind to know that.

She pulled away, eyes still closed with her forehead on his. The feeling of him being close was enough for her…she didn't have to say anything.

"I missed you…" he whispered just above the rain. His eyes were also closed as he held her close, listening to the thumping of Reyn's heart that was beating against her chest.

Even though he couldn't see it, he felt her smile. "Thank you…for waiting for me," she replied quietly, touching his face with her hands.

"You're worth every second of the wait." He couldn't help himself and kissed her again, the most amazing feeling erupting in his chest at the touch of her petal soft lips. She responded eagerly.

Her touch spoke volumes to him. And throughout it all, only one thing spoke the loudest.

_I love you._

He wasn't sure how long he kept kissing her but she made no move to have him stop. Reyn was his again.

A wolf whistle sounded somewhere across the parking lot.

Reyn pulled away and looked through the heavy rain and saw the Cullen family…_her _family…standing there, all under umbrellas, and all beaming at them.

Edward knew they were coming. He had known for some time but he had been so concentrated on Reyn, he didn't even bother to break away from her to let her know. She didn't seem to care even the slightest bit because she dashed towards them. Edward felt himself smile widely.

The first person to meet her was Emmett, who ducked out from under the safety of the umbrella to run at her at a human pace. He swept her off her feet in a huge bear hug, spinning her around in circles a few times.

"God!" he cried. "My sister is back!"

Reyn's pleasing laughter filled the air as he set her down. Alice was the next to tackle Reyn. She normally would have been very upset about being wet…but she left Jasper's umbrella cover to hug Reyn tight.

Alice looked as though she could cry. "Ah," she said grinning at Reyn, "I just love you."

Reyn hugged her tight. "I love you more."

She looked at Jasper, and he smiled at her. Reyn never had to say much to him but they always shared this sort of…emotional bond of sibling-like love. She knew that Jasper cared very much for her, and not just because Alice cared for Reyn.

Edward met them with a content look on his features. He seemed at peace with how the situation developed. His adoptive father gave him a knowing look.

"We were only at the mall for about an hour when Alice had her vision," he explained to his son. "She demanded we come back here at once."

"You know, just to specifically interrupt your make-out session," teased Rosalie, looking affectionately at Reyn.

Edward was always very taken aback by Rosalie's fondness of Reyn. He didn't understand where it stemmed from but he was happy she treated Reyn better than she ever treated Bella. He came to the conclusion, when Rosalie spent one on one time with Reyn about a week ago, that Rosalie only pretended to be a snob to keep people away from her but deep down, she really did care for people. Sure, Rosalie will always wish that she could go back to being human…but the anger and bitterness seemed to disappear the more time she spent with Reyn.

Rosalie was much more complex than he had believed for the last 80 or so years.

"Let's go home…" said Reyn. "I've missed you guys."

"We've missed you," said Carlisle, a hand at her shoulder. They shared a smile.

* * *

Aiden stared idly at the La Push kids all laughing in Sam's kitchen. He had been more concerned about Reyn then whatever they were talking about here.

Reyn seemed to accept him again.

Sure, she had no memory of the betrayal, even though he had been honest with her that he had broken her trust long ago.

"_That's in the past…" _she had said with a gentle smile. She then embraced him tight. Reyn was that kind of person. She was forgiving. Well, except with him because he had betrayed her time and time again. And for what?

His mother turned out to be a lying, conniving, homicidal crazy person, just like his twin had been telling him for years. He had refused to listen to her, always siding with the mother that feigned love for her son.

Aiden would carry the guilt of treachery for the rest of his life.

His phone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it out and looked at the caller ID. Edward was calling. Strange.

"Hello?" he said confused.

"I think you should come home now," Edward replied simply. He didn't have to say anymore than that for Aiden to understand though. He could hear it in Edward's voice that Reyn regained all her memories.

Two emotions came to him, the first being elation. However, that was shortly lived because worry came after it. He didn't know if Reyn was going to relapse back into being cold with him now that she remembered everything…along with the emotions she had felt before.

He prayed she would remain unfazed now.

"I'm on my way," said Aiden, standing up and grabbing his jacket off the chair he was sitting on. He hung up after saying good-bye.

The La Push kids and Bella all looked at him, confused. "What's wrong?" Quil asked.

Aiden couldn't help but smile. "Nothing!" he replied. "Reyn got her memories back. I have to go see her."

At this, the whole group looked ecstatic.

He bade his good-byes before any of them could ask to join. He was feeling a little selfish and just wanted to be with his sister without them. Besides, he was going back to the Cullen's place and they were werewolves. They weren't allowed to go.

Aiden rang the doorbell of the Cullen's home about a half hour later. It was immediately opened by Alice. "I don't know why you bothered," she said with a cute smile. She tapped her temple with her hand. "I saw you coming."

Aiden laughed, aware of her ability to objectively see the future. "Where is she?" he asked after he stepped into the house.

"Upstairs," she replied. "She'll be down in a minute. We can wait in the living room for her!"

She basically vanished because she was so fast. "Show off," he muttered, amused. The whole family laughed in the next room over.

"Oh, c'mon," said Emmett as Aiden came into the room. "You think it's cool."

The half vampire looked thoughtful for a moment. "Ah," he said. "I can't deny it. It's pretty sick."

"Reyn!" Edward called from the foot of the stairs. "Aiden is here."

There was a pause for a moment before there was thudding from upstairs. Aiden held down a laugh as he heard his sister dash down the stairs. He wondered why she was so happy to see him.

"Aiden!" she cried, practically tackling him. Definitely out of character for her…at least for the last few years. But…it felt natural to be holding his beloved sister so closely like this…after so much time of them being distant.

Reyn pulled away and smiled widely up at him. "Miss me?" she teased. Aiden grinned.

"Like you wouldn't fricken believe."

She understood that he didn't just mean for the last three weeks. He had been referring to the distance that Reyn had put between them.

"You know…" she said, "I meant it when I said it was in the past."

The look in his eyes…he looked comforted by the statement.

"Well, ain't this sappy…" laughed Emmett. Rosalie shot him a dark look and he just shrugged but the twins laughed.

Aiden stayed over until about 10pm. He had gotten along so much better with the Cullens and it made Reyn overjoyed. It was almost like a father accepting a daughter's choice in a man…except…it was her protective brother instead. She had always known that he would be protective of her, even with the Andrew incident.

Yes, at first he waved it off but once he found out Drew actually had tried to rape her, he had told her that he beat him up.

"I'm gonna head home," said Aiden, yawning. Reyn glanced at the clock.

"You're kidding!" she exclaimed, punching him lightly in the arm. "It's only 10:15."

Aiden shrugged. "Yeah? I'm tired."

Reyn sighed. "Fiiiine," she moaned. "Let's go."

They said their good-byes to the family, Reyn telling them she'd see them tomorrow…well, other than Carlisle, who had work.

Edward pulled Reyn to the side a little as Aiden cracked a joke at Emmett. He kissed her lips gently before whispering, "Bet I can beat you there…"

Reyn felt herself smirk. "What are we betting on?" she replied back in a low voice. She caught Alice's giggle from across the room. Reyn already obviously knew that all of them, save for Aiden, could hear what they were saying.

Jasper was smirking at the pair of them while Aiden was still talking to Rosalie and Emmett, although Reyn could tell that the both of them were trying not to grin at what Edward and Reyn were talking about.

"Don't you dare, Jasper," Edward said quietly, his tone not hostile. He sounded as if he was entertained but had a bite of warning in it.

Reyn looked up at Edward. "What?"

Jasper's smirk got wider and Alice giggled even more, not because she could see a vision or anything…but just because she knew what was going on.

Edward looked as though he was losing a battle to not smile. "He…" Edward paused, trying to formulate it best so it would sound weird. "Jasper thought about sending out an…_aroused_…emotion."

Reyn froze and shot a glare at the honey-blonde vampire. "You wouldn't," she said quietly, knowing he could hear her.

"He wouldn't," laughed Edward in a soft voice. "The whole room would go crazy…well, except Aiden wouldn't have a partner."

Reyn held down a laugh.

She saw Carlisle and Esme trying to look very neutral about the entire situation between Jasper and Edward. Reyn realized how awkward it would be if Jasper decided to make everyone in the room sexually aroused. She guessed Carlisle and Esme thought a similar notion and left quietly.

"He says he was only trying to help…" Edward passed along.

Reyn giggled with Alice. "Thanks…but I think we'll be okay without that kind of help."

Finally, Aiden was ready to leave. Reyn offered vehemently that she wanted to drive and Aiden, at first didn't understand why. However, Reyn convinced him when she said he was tired and should be driving while tired…because it was driving like he was under the influence. In all reality, she just wanted race Edward home. She wasn't sure exactly how fast he was but they all did say he was the fastest runner.

She was surprised he wasn't driving a Viper today. Today, it was black Porsche Cayman. Reyn wondered vaguely if Alice saw it yet or not.

She waited impatiently for Aiden to get in the car. He was waving good-bye while she tapped on the steering wheel anxiously. Finally, he shut the door and Reyn started the ignition, signaling to Edward that they were about to start. She knew the second she pressed the gas petal, the race was on.

Reyn couldn't help but gun it down the dirt path. She was a decent driver, and Aiden didn't take notice as to why she was racing through empty streets to go home. He drove like this himself and he started to drift off into sleep.

She already knew she was going to lose.

Edward could run from his house to hers in a direct line. She had to use the streets, which had stop signs, stop lights, cops, and rules. Reyn huffed in annoyance.

She pulled into the complex and parked the car in the garage on her right.

Luckily, Aiden went straight to bed after giving his sister a tight goodnight hug. Reyn waited for a few minutes before she went upstairs to meet Edward.

This was the first time they were alone since she regained her memories. For whatever reason, she felt a little nervous…or something similar. She had butterflies in her stomach, something she hadn't had since she first started falling for him.

Reyn opened the door to her room and closed it quietly. As she turned around, something pushed her up against her door. The figure in front of her was dark.

"I win."

Edward's arms were outstretched, his hands on either side of her head as she gazed up at him with a wide smirk on her lips. "Congratulations," she replied. "Did you want a trophy or something?"

"No," he said, his face unbelievably close to her. One of his hands touched her face and she almost shivered at how cold he was…but she liked the feel of his skin on hers. "Unless the trophy is you…"

Definitely out of character for him but Reyn didn't even care. She laughed, almost mockingly at him and ducked out from under his arms and away from him. "Oh really?" she said playfully, walking towards the bathroom. "What makes you think I'm going to just give myself up to you?"

Edward hadn't moved from the door but he was smirking at it. She was playing hard-to-get. He liked it.

"Well…seeing that you are my girlfriend and all…" he said, moving towards the bathroom.

"_That," _she paused, at the toilet room door, "means nothing."

Reyn winked flirtatiously at him before she shut the door. She obviously had to use the restroom but Edward didn't leave. They're relationship was never one for awkwardness.

He thought about what he could say as the toilet flushed. She reopened the door.

"I could always leave," he suggested, playfully sounding disappointed. Reyn washed her hands and dried them before turning to him.

She put a hand at his stomach and pushed him gently against the counter. "You could…" she said, smirking, "…but where's the fun in that?"

Edward could no longer resist her charm and pulled her to him to kiss her. She responded in kind, hungry for him.

His icy skin clashed perfectly against her fiery lips and he loved every second of it. He felt her hands glide over his chest, up his neck, before she ran her fingers through her hair. Her opened mouth kisses sent her cinnamon breath across his skin.

He slipped his tongue past her lips; she didn't seem as surprised as she had been the first time he had done it, but she did smirk into the kiss. He lifted her up and she automatically clung to him, wrapping her legs around his waist, both of their tongues dancing perfectly with the other.

The bathroom was no place for this and he walked to her bed, with her still holding onto him easily. He laid her across her bed, with him hovering over her on all fours. She was smiling at him, her eyes sparkling beautifully in the moonlight that seeped through her balcony doors.

"God, you're gorgeous…" he said before coming to her again. She laughed between kissing. Edward decided to move a little to her neck, placing gentle kissed here and there. He wondered if she was scared that he might bite her or something.

She didn't seem to notice anything but the rush of his lips at her neck. Reyn didn't even think of the fact that he could bite her and turn her into a full vampire.

He loved that about her. It wasn't the first thing she was thinking of. She was entirely wrapped up in him, lost in his eyes and his touch.

And she wasn't trying to undress herself.

With Bella, they had half the passion that he and Reyn did, and Bella would try to undress herself. She craved for sex, and it irritated Edward to no end. There were numerous times where Bella would kill he mood because she was trying to unzip her pants or pull off her shirt and Edward had to tell her no.

Reyn? No, she still had her hoodie on at the moment. She hadn't even let it register that this scenario with normal teenagers typically led to sex. He knew that she hadn't even thought that far.

Her not undressing…made him want to undress her.

Vampire or not…traditional or not…he was still male. The thought made him want to laugh. However, he didn't care for being "conservative" or "old school" at the moment.

Besides…it was only a jacket.

….At least, for the moment.

He pulled away from her lips and reached for the zipper of her black hoodie. He pulled down until it unhooked. Reyn shrugged out of it, revealing just a thin, red t-shirt. Edward tossed her jacket on the floor absently, returning to her lips.

In the midst of the heated kissing, or at least, partially heated kissing, she managed to get his coat off of him and threw it to the side somewhere. Edward had to control himself somewhat, always remembering to be gentle because she was fragile…not quite as fragile as a normal human, but he could still kill her if he wasn't careful.

But…he had a hard time controlling the desire part….

No other girl had gotten to him like this. He was a little unnerved at how simple kissing could send him into a state of arousal…but this was Reyn…not Bella.

They were sitting up now, both incredibly close to each other. His fingers had minds of their own as the reached for the hem of her red shirt. She didn't pause or stop him as he began to lift it up. He didn't want to stop himself either but he paused for a moment, just to give her time.

It wasn't like it mattered, he was telling himself. He had seen her in a bathing suit. In her bathing suit, she was almost naked…how was this any different?

Oh right…he was passionately making out with her…that's how it was different.

He pulled the shirt over her head when she made no noise to stop him.

All she had on was a simple black bra, which to him was the most attractive. It wasn't frilly or full of lace and it was devoid of trashy patterns. His eyes danced across her flat, toned stomach as she laid herself back down. He wondered if she did this to let him have a better look at her…or if she did it just because she wanted to lay down again.

He thought, subconsciously, she was giving him permission to let his eyes wander.

Edward leaned over her and made for her neck again, sucking gently at the base. He heard her let out the softest moan and he couldn't help but smirk with satisfaction that he was pleasing her…even in the smallest way.

Her fingers dashed to his white button down he had on, unbuttoning at a good pace. Reyn pushed off the shirt to reveal his perfectly chiseled, lean body.

"God, you're gorgeous!" she mimicked playfully. He chuckled at her, planting soft kisses across her collarbone.

Everything…felt right.

Nothing seemed awkward or forced…nothing seemed to bother the other. Sure, they haven't really done anything…but it just felt right. Even as his kisses went down her chest and across her stomach, it didn't feel uncomfortable.

"Sweetheart," he whispered as he let the tip of his nose glide up her stomach. She let out a small noise of acknowledgement. "Can I ask you something?"

He flicked his tongue across her neck. "Of course," she replied, sounding distracted. He smiled.

"Would you make me the happiest," he paused to kiss the hollow of her throat lightly, "man on the planet?"

He kissed her cheek before he looked down at her. He knew she was thinking for a moment. Edward also knew what she thought of what he was asking was completely wrong.

"I would love to," she replied, gazing up at him with loving eyes. Edward leaned in to kiss her soft lips for a moment.

He pulled away slightly so that when he spoke, his lips touched. This didn't take any nerves to build up...and he _had _thought about this, despite what anyone would have thought. He didn't know why...but now seemed like the perfect moment.

"Will you marry me?"

Her heart skipped a few beats and her eyes shot open.

* * *

**Author's note: Say what you will...yes, this is out of character for Edward. I did explain that. However, I'm not taking away from Edward's charm and traditional charm. He just feels comfortable with Reyn and he isn't even asking for sex and neither was she. My point is that nothing obviously happened ^^^ so please don't get all angry with me. I don't know what I'm trying to say actually. It's late and i'm just trying to basically state that Edward is STILL Edward.**


	18. Plans

**Author's Note: Yeah, this is slightly a filler chapter until I figure out what the heck I want to happen next. If anyone has any suggestions for the next chapters or plot points, just review and let me know. Because I'm a little stuck now. Haha, but anyways, please enjoy! Oh! more of the dirty dirty in this. Forgive me if you don't like that stuff.**

**I don't own Twilight or it's characters. I do own, however, my OCs and plotline.  
**

Chapter Eighteen: Plans

Edward and Reyn were motionless for a few moments, their faces still close.

She was in a state of shock. She knew that she had heard him correctly, she knew that he had said it with the most sincerity the world was capable of…but she was still in complete disbelief. It was like…she made it up in her mind because it was something she subconsciously wanted to hear.

He figured that this would be her reaction and he was not at all upset or surprised. He knew in his heart that she was going to accept but she still was just astonished he had proposed to her after she _just _regained her memories. But he wanted to ask her now so she would forever be his and that there would never be a chance of her leaving him or changing her mind down the road.

Edward moved away from her and she sat up, eyes wide like a deer in headlights. He chuckled and reached out to stroke her face. He wondered how long she was going to sit there and stare blankly at him.

"_Excuse me?" _she finally asked, never blinking.

Edward rose to a stand and he pulled her off the bed too. He made towards her nightstand and pulled out the top drawer. It took him only three seconds to pull out a small, dark, velvet box.

Reyn's heart sputtered another few times, which made Edward laugh softly to himself. "How long has that been in there!" she demanded, looking horrified.

She didn't disappoint. He knew she would react like this. However, he just smirked at her. "I put it in your nightstand the night we came back from Australia," he explained casually. "You don't ever look in it."

Reyn watched him go down on one knee in front of her, causing her face grow hot with embarrassment. She couldn't believe this was happening, especially while both of them were shirtless. Her heart was pounding against her chest and she was starting to shake from what she thought was nerves.

"Reyn Andréa La Pierre," he said, his golden eyes gazing up into hers. "I'm in love with you…. There was a time that I believed that the love I have for you, which is deeper and more true than I've ever felt for anyone else, was a just a myth within a myth, that it just didn't exist in my world. Over time, you changed that, made me believe that there was more to life than being bitter and angry. You showed me that I didn't have to be just 'content' with my life…but I could love every moment of it.

"And I want you in that life…_my _life…my _eternity. _Not only that, you've touched the hearts of my family and sparked changes in some of them that I never thought possible. We love you so much."

He paused, a sad expression crossing his face for a moment. "I lost you once; I don't think I could bear to lose you again," he whispered, but he regained his voice again after a moment. "So, I'm asking for your hand in marriage. There is no other woman on the face of the planet and there will be no other woman throughout time that I want…just _you."_

He opened up the small box, revealing a ring…but she didn't even glance at it. The ring…didn't _matter_ to her. The mere fact that he wanted to marry her, the fact that he wanted to be with her for eternity…was enough. Not only was he seeking to be bound with her in terms of marriage…but he was also asking her to turn into a full vampire.

She couldn't break away from his loving gaze.

"I know that you're going to miss out on a few things while being with me," he continued, "such as having children and grandchildren of our own, growing old, staying in pop culture's eye, eating normal human food, sleeping…but I know that we-"

Reyn put her fingertips across his lips. She knelt down, feeling like she needed to be level with him, and looked him directly in the eye.

"What kind of person would I be…" she paused, touching his face and smiling, "if I rejected a proposal from the man I'm in love with?"

Edward mocked a thoughtful expression. "Strange," he replied honestly. Reyn burst out into laughter and pulled him up to a stand.

"Good point," she said. Reyn reached up and pulled him into a kiss. "And, yes…to your question."

"I was wondering when I was going to get a straight answer," joked Edward, kissing her lightly on the lips again. "Are you even going to look at the ring? You completely ignored it."

He feigned a hurt look. Reyn rolled her eyes just before he offered it to her. "You didn't have to get a ring…" she mumbled.

"I'm sorry, but I'm a bit traditional, if you will," he replied, not sounding even the slightest bit apologetic. "A ring completes the proposal."

Edward knew her well, which was good seeing that they were engaged. It was a very simple ring, which is how she always liked her jewelry. It was a thin, silver (but probably white gold, knowing Edward) band with a decent sized diamond. It was not a huge diamond, which Reyn wouldn't have wanted; she felt that huge rocks were just too gaudy and flashy for her taste. She was glad the band wasn't gold either…she wasn't a fan of gold jewelry.

The diamond itself was cut in circular fashion, not squared and was almost as dazzling as Edward was when he was in the sun.

"I'm going to say…1.5 karat diamond with a 18k white gold band?" she said, eyes twinkling at him.

He smirked at her. "You think I wouldn't spend a little extra on you?" he asked, sounding appalled. He didn't look the part though, so she knew he was teasing.

"I had hoped you wouldn't."

Edward scoffed.

"1.75k, platinum band. A flawless Hearts on Fire diamond," he corrected. "I felt it was unpretentious and simple enough, just how you like things."

Reyn grinned. "Have I ever mentioned that I love you?" she asked, letting her hands glide up his abs. She flashed him a mischievous glance.

"You have," he replied, pushing her gently onto the bed. "But it doesn't hurt to _show_ me that you love me as well…"

She pulled him to her. "Well, then let me show you…"

And before either of them could stop themselves, they were in another heated kissing session…this time…a little more rough. The fact that they were engaged seemed to amplify the desire in both of them ten fold.

More than anything, he wanted to please her. He couldn't care any less about himself being satisfied; he was far more concerned about her.

And it wasn't that he didn't have control…he knew he did, but it was more so that he didn't want to control himself, especially because she was making no effort to control herself either. That eased his guilt to being almost non-existent when he wrenched away her skintight jeans. He reminded himself that she had stripped him of his jeans first and that it was only fair if hers disappeared as well.

"Edward…" she whispered breathlessly while he was sucking gently at her neck again. Her breath was growing a bit ragged.

He stopped to look at her. "Yes, beautiful?"

Her gaze would have stopped his heart had it not already been quiet for so long. "I want you…" she said, her eyes never betraying her.

Edward hovered over her. He was hesitating. It wasn't because the desire for her wasn't there because it most certainly was. He was just…worried that kind of act…would hurt her.

"Right now?" was the first thing that came out of his mouth. He felt like an idiot.

She chuckled briefly. "No, tomorrow," she replied sarcastically. "Yes, now."

Edward let his eyes search her face. She wasn't lying…and she didn't look as if she was scared of the notion. He knew that she knew why he was tentative…and yet…she didn't seem all that worried.

"I don't want to hurt you…" he whispered, "and I'm not certain that I won't."

At this, she laughed outright. Edward had no idea why she laughed. "It will…it usually does when it's a girl's first time."

She was virgin.

He wasn't surprised…but at the same time, he didn't know why he was little shocked to hear her admit to it. There was a large part of him, mostly his ego, that swelled with the fact that he was going to be the one she was losing it to.

And he wanted her too.

"Are you _sure_, Reyn?" he asked, giving her one last out. She rolled her eyes.

"Babe…" she said, which was the first time Reyn had called him that; he liked the way it played off her lips. "I'm going to _marry _you. I've never been more sure."

Her eyes weren't lying.

"That aside, other than possibly getting killed, there is virtually no other risk," she added. Edward snorted at her indifferent attitude of the possibility of being accidentally killed during the most sentimental and emotionally binding act a couple could engage in. "The only other two risks are getting an STD or getting pregnant and obviously, both are impossible because you're a vampire. No condom or any other form of contraceptive needed and I'm still safe."

Edward let a smile finally come across his lips. She had a point.

Reyn put her hands on his face to look into his eyes. "And I trust you."

He let that statement sit in his head for a moment. Well, if she was so confident I in his self-control…he was willing to give this a chance. Not that he wasn't secure in the knowledge he had control…he had beaten the monster into submission not long ago; this wasn't much different when it came down to basics.

"Aren't we skipping a base?" he asked, returning to her neck. Her reactions when he would tease her there were off the charts so he enjoyed letting his lips linger at her throat. It took a moment for her to reply after she let slip a moan.

"Which one?" she whispered.

Her hands ran up his back and though she couldn't dig her fingernails into him, he felt her try and it felt like silk on his skin. "Well, third base was neglected, sweetheart. You can't just blaze through first and second and then run directly home. That would be cheating."

Reyn had to laugh as he was planting cold kisses across her abdomen. "I have all of eternity to run to third. Can't we cheat just this once? Who's going to know?"

"Alice…" replied Edward jokingly. Reyn laughed again, her giggles sending a pleasing shiver through his body. He had always loved they way she sounded when she thought something was comical.

"That's a little awkward," she pointed out, glancing at him.

He was going steadily lower with his kissing and anticipation was building. He stopped just below her navel. He gave her his signature smoldering stare and it threw her off for a moment. "Are you sure?" he said in the most seductive voice that Reyn had ever heard. That sentence, said by a human, would never sound even the slightest bit seductive but Edward…well, he was another story all together.

"I'm sure!" she snapped, more playfully than out of irritation.

His eyes narrowed and a smirk formed. She felt her own wry smile creep onto her face as he came back to her to kiss her passionately. After a moment, he put his lips at her ear and whispered.

"There's no turning back."

* * *

I climbed out of the bed without disturbing Reyn so she could sleep longer. She didn't end up falling asleep until about 12:45am…and I believed we started our activities at about 10:20pm. Now…that doesn't seem like a long time to engage in making love, but for a human, that's quite a bit of time.

Us vampires, on the other hand, can continue on until our heart's content.

Looking at her, I felt myself smirk. Damn, the girl had stamina. Not stamina as in how long it took her to finish…but how many times she came back at me for more, to which I had no complaints of. I would account that to her vampire genes as the cause. A normal human, especially partnered with a vampire, would _not _have lasted even half as long as she did before she was completely worn out.

I scanned the room for my clothes, my underwear and pants at the foot of the bed. After I pulled them on, I went downstairs to start her breakfast. It was about 8:30 now. She'd be up within the hour.

Aiden had left about an hour ago to meet up with the La Push kids. I had overheard him talking to Jacob and asking if he wanted to cliff dive with them. Aiden immediately said yes. He thought about inviting Reyn but had remember that she was going to be with my family today…so he thought better of it, though he did seem a little disappointed.

I made a mental note to have Reyn go spend sometime with her friends in La Push. She'd probably refuse but I knew she'd eventually agree with me.

Aero greeted me at the bottom of the staircase. "Hungry, boy?" I asked him, petting his head. He barked and I took that as a yes. I did this every morning for the last few months, except when I was in Australia. I had Alice come and feed Aero his meals.

I poured his dry food into his bowl and mixed in some of the wet food in with it like Reyn had instructed me to do so long ago. Once I set the bowl down beside the water dish, he attacked the food. I chuckled and turned my attention on feeding my fiancé.

As I pulled out the pans I needed, I thought back to last night.

She told me it was going to hurt because it almost always hurts for virgin girls. I had already known that…but it didn't seem to hurt her…at all, in fact. However, I knew her better than anyone. I had the distinct feeling that she played it off like she was fine in the beginning. After a few minutes, she seemed at ease again…she _must _have been in pain.

I'm happy to say that I controlled myself well…at least to the extent that I needed to. I just didn't want to kill her. I thought I would have had to be a bit more gentler with her but she was surprisingly rough with me…which in it's own right, was a huge turn on.

I was glad we lost it to each other.

The emotional connection made it a thousand times more pleasurable for the both of us too. Not only that…I could see us having a very fulfilling sex life. Not in the mannerisms of Rosalie and Emmett of course. I was disgusted with the thought of them and returned my attention to Reyn's breakfast.

There was a saying that went by "a lady in the streets, but a freak in bed." I would definitely have to say that both of us were like this. She brought out a side of me I had _no _idea even existed. At first, we were just gentle and eased ourselves into the act…we had never made love before so we were…well, I wouldn't say we were awkward…but we were unsure of ourselves and lacked a little confidence. But when Reyn kept coming back for more, she started getting rough, which only in turn, made me more rough.

I pride myself in being partial to tradition but that being said…I had thought that I would have wanted to wait until she and I were married. I had a feeling, however, that she would have given me a speech on how it wasn't the 1920s anymore and waiting until marriage was pointless. That being said, she and I were engaged…so, to ease the slightest amount of guilt, I reminded myself that it was fundamentally like waiting until we were married.

I willed myself to stop thinking of last night's events so I could finish her breakfast.

Her breakfast this morning consisted of chocolate chip pancakes, one of her favorites, sourdough toast with a lot of butter (I don't know why she liked so much butter…), orange juice, coffee (made really sweet because she wouldn't drink it any other way), Portuguese sausage (she loved this stuff. It was incredible how much she eats of it), and two strips of bacon. She was weird; she liked to have pancakes with toast…which I'm sure most humans don't normally have so much bread in one breakfast sitting. She was definitely an oddball.

But she was also _my _oddball.

I frowned for a moment…realizing that she soon would no longer be needing to eat food like this or need me to cook it for her. It was a little disappointing but I wasn't swayed by the notion of never cooking food for her again to want her to stay human.

No…I wanted her as a vampire…and I don't feel like I'm sentencing her to an eternity of Hell either.

As I washed the dishes I used, I heard her sit up in bed two floors above me. She was awake. I could tell by the way she was moving that she was wondering where I had gone off to. That was my cue. I didn't want her to think I'd abandoned her after making love to her _and _proposing to her; not in that order of course.

Well, I know she wouldn't think that but I still wanted to be there anyway.

I put her breakfast on a bed tray and went upstairs as quick as I could. She was making her way to the bathroom when I was at the second floor landing.

The toilet flushed just as I opened the door to her room, so I put down the tray on her bed. She didn't see me coming behind her because I dashed quickly to the bathroom while she was washing her hands.

"Good morning, beautiful," I said, my hands at her shoulders and kissing her cheek lightly. She yelped, jumping up in fright because I snuck up on her.

"Jeezus, Edward!" she exclaimed. But she was smiling, so I knew she wasn't angry with me.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," I said, hoping my apologetic smile would ease her, which it did. Her eyes glimmered at me.

"I thought you had gone home to get clothes or something."

"And leave you here alone?" I asked, holding her close to me. "Not a chance, darling."

She glanced at me through the mirror as I buried my face in to her hair and inhaled deeply. Reyn always smelled incredible….

"I think I can survive without you for a half hour," she said, drying her hands.

I took into account what she was wearing. She had on her black underwear and bra, from Victoria's Secret, might I add. Hey, I'm allowed to look. She's my fiancé now. Reyn was also wearing my white button down from last night. She only button one of the buttons so it still revealed her chest and lean stomach.

She was sexy.

"How are you feeling?" I asked her as she turned to me. I tore my eyes away from her long, tan legs to look at her face. Reyn grinned, reminding me of a child who just got the Christmas present she had been wanting for months.

"Amazing!" she replied brightly. She sniffed the air. "What's for breakfast?"

"Pancakes," I said, lifting her up bridal style to the bed.

I couldn't help but feel romantic and sappy. This was all very new to me but I loved the feeling of being in love and having that feeling being reciprocated at me.

"Yum!" she exclaimed, definitely reminding me of a kid. Reyn was holding me around the neck and she kissed my cheek as a sign of her appreciation. "You didn't feed Aero, did you?"

I laughed, giving her a look. She smiled sheepishly because she knew I've been feeding him for months now. "Of course I did. He was too impatient to wait for you," I replied. "We should bring him to my house. He has been stuck inside for too long."

Reyn agreed.

The second I put her down next to the food, she attacked it like a savage. I chuckled to myself, watching her. I wonder if she was going to act like this when she was a vampire.

A thought came across my mind from earlier. "Did you pretend?" I asked.

She paused, fork half way in her mouth with a piece of pancake. Her eyes went dark. Uh-oh…I must have said something wrong.

Reyn put her fork down and gave me her patented death glare. "You really think I could fake an orgasm? From _you?" _she spat.

I stared at her. She thought I was accusing her of faking _that?_

"That wasn't what I meant," I answered quickly, hoping she wasn't going to want to kill me. Word from the wise: don't accuse a woman of faking an orgasm. Even if she did and you know it, don't say anything. She may want to strangle you in humiliation, rage, or guilt. "I was actually referring to the pain."

The darkness in her eyes vanished and she blushed. She was embarrassed, that was for sure, about snapping at me like that.

"Oh," she laughed, brushing off her awkwardness. "Um…yeah. I pretended like it didn't hurt. I just…didn't want you to worry about me."

Typical Reyn response. She liked to put herself through pain just so others wouldn't be troubled over her or come to her aid. She had always like to do things on her own and in her own way.

She avoided my wry smile. I knew her all too well. There was no way it didn't hurt; I could tell by the way she held onto me so tightly for the first few minutes. "I figured."

Reyn continued to stare into her food. "What!" she exclaimed innocently. "Okay, not gonna lie…. It hurt pretty bad…but after a while, it didn't. So, no big deal."

I shook my head. "You should have told me to stop…"

She finally looked at me with those beautiful cerulean eyes. Reyn didn't reply immediately and I wondered what she was thinking. "I didn't want you to stop," she replied, her voice dripping in seduction.

I got lost in those eyes for a moment. "Would you quit flirting with me like that so early in the morning?" I snapped, fighting a smile. "You're just going to get yourself into trouble."

"Is it the kind of trouble where there are no clothes involved?" she asked, looking at me flirtatiously. I desperately tried to ignore her as she moved closer. She _clearly_ wasn't listening to me.

"_Eat,"_ I said flatly, successfully controlling myself. Reyn frowned playfully but flashed those pretty eyes in my direction again. Why was she doing this to me? "Reyn…seriously. You're not making this easy."

"I wasn't trying to," she admitted. I felt her hand move smoothly from my left knee up my thigh in a slow manner.

"…Reyn…" I said, my tone much less convincing the higher she went.

I basically lost all will power to restrain myself when her hand stopped between my legs and she kissed me. I pushed the tray of food to the side, and it crashed to the floor, sending food, juice, and coffee in all directions. The glass the orange juice was in shattered but we both took no notice as I pushed her to lie down.

She took me to dizzying new heights only to back me down…just to soar higher. I don't think she realized the affect she had on me.

We were too lost in a world of passion.

* * *

"Nice of you to finally join us," called Alice from upstairs as Reyn and Edward walked into the Cullen home with Aero tagging along behind them. It was about 3pm now… the newly engaged couple had dallied far too long at the estate.

There was the unmistakable tone in Alice's voice that there was a smirk on her face. It was obvious that she knew everything that had happened.

Reyn blushed to herself.

As they walked into the living room, Alice appeared beside Reyn and took her left hand. "It suits you…and is much prettier in person," she squealed, hugging her. "We're _really_ going to be sisters now!"

"Congrats," said Emmett from the couch just before Aero jumped on him to lick the vampire. By the look on his face, Emmett was not just congratulating them on their engagement. Edward suddenly laughed.

"Thank you, Emmett," he said, looking at him as though he was unsure whether to be disgusted or pleased with himself. "Sorry to disappoint you, but I didn't destroy anything. I had no intentions to."

"Oh…you will…" Emmett replied, winking, just before returning his attention to her wolf. Reyn rolled her eyes.

"Would you mind wiping that stupid smirk off your face?" she asked in a friendly manner. "You're sort of making me uncomfortable."

"I took the liberty of telling everyone you're engaged," cut Alice before Emmett could reply. Reyn turned to give her a warning look.

"What _else_ did you tell them?" she mumbled, even though she knew it was pointless to drop her voice.

Alice giggled. "I swear, I didn't say anything else…" she said, crossing her heart as if that would prove she was being honest. Reyn didn't really believe her but she wasn't angry. There were no secrets among this family.

"Let's drop this, okay?" said Esme's voice sweetly from the kitchen. Reyn could smell the cookies she was baking. Reyn had to smile at Esme's motherly personality. She literally was the only mother figure Reyn had ever had.

"Cookies?" she called to Esme. She went over to the kitchen and peeked her head around the corner. Esme was bent over the rarely used oven, checking on her baking.

Esme glanced at Reyn. "Your favorite."

Reyn skipped over to her and hugged her. "You're the best!" she exclaimed, looking into the oven.

After a moment, they went back over into the living room to give the cookies some more time to bake.

"So, when's the date?" asked Rosalie. She was more so looking at Alice more than Edward or Reyn.

"I actually don't know," Alice admitted with a heavy sigh. "They haven't even talked about it so I haven't had a vision or anything."

They all sat down and Reyn realized that this was now officially a gathering for them to plan Edward and her wedding. She was surprised how all of them had such an interest in helping out.

"Can I ask you something?" asked Alice. She was looking at Reyn expectantly.

"Sure."

"You want to be a part of the planning, right?" she said.

At first, Reyn didn't understand why Alice was even asking. Of course she wanted part of the planning! It was her wedding after all. However, Reyn understood that Alice was so eager that if Reyn hadn't had really cared, Alice would take care of the entire thing.

"Yes…but I would love some help," replied Reyn. Alice grinned.

Within a few hours, most of the wedding had been thought up, everyone having put in some ideas. The wedding was going to be in the courtyard of the La Pierre estate, which was definitely big enough to hold plenty of people. Where the actual vows were going to take place was in front of the fountain in the courtyard.

"Um…we live in Washington, people…" Reyn piped up after a while. "There's this little thing Mother Nature has called _rain _that we can't get rid of."

"We'll be able to fix that," Jasper said quietly next to her. "You don't have to worry about that."

Reyn didn't even bother to ask or press it because she was sure they'd come up with a way to handle it.

The reception would take place in the house and out in the courtyard. It was decided that Alice was going to be Reyn's Maid of Honor and Rosalie would be her bride's maid. Reyn asked if Esme would like to be a bride's maid as well but she politely declined.

"Carlisle and I should be sitting in the audience…acting as our duties as adoptive parents to Edward," she explained. It made sense and Reyn agreed.

Of course, Emmett and Jasper were going to be Edward's groom's man and Best Man. Reyn was surprised at the choice.

"Nah, we don't really care," said Emmett, whom Reyn thought was closer with Edward than Jasper. "It'd just be easier to make him Best Man so he can walk with Alice."

"Oh…" said Reyn lamely, having nothing else better to say.

"I want Aiden as a groom's men…" said Edward casually, leaning back into the couch.

Reyn, who was sitting across from him, stared. "You do?" she asked, completely taken aback. They had only recently started getting along; she didn't think that Edward had warmed up to him so quickly.

"Then you need another bride's maid, Reyn…" said Rosalie.

Reyn thought for a moment. She couldn't think of anyone in particular who she wanted to be as a bride's maid. She thought for a long time while the others were talking about the minor stuff like catering, flowers, and who was all invited.

"He can just walk with Aero…" said Reyn, giving up and falling back into the seat. "I'm sure he won't care, right boy?"

Aero barked in agreement from his spot next to Emmett, the vampire he liked the most. Reyn imagined her wolf with a bowtie instead of a collar. "Yup," she said. "He's walking down the aisle with Aero."

The vampires all laughed.

The guest list sounded like it was already quite large. The Cullens wanted to invite all of Forks, all of La Push, and anyone who Reyn wanted to from her little celebrity life. She frowned.

"Just because I'm famous," she spat out the last word with disdain, "doesn't mean I have celebrity friends. I kept to myself a lot. I just…happened to act and model."

However, she could think of a few people she would invite. Just a few friends from Hawaii and Australia…and a few of her friends from the pop culture world seemed like a decent amount.

"When are we going to go dress shopping, Reyn?" asked Esme. At this, Alice and Rosalie perked right up and they stared avidly at her.

"Okay," said Edward before Reyn could reply. "We haven't even come up with a date yet. Let's not overwhelm her."

Reyn looked at Edward gratefully.

"Okay, here's a serious question…" said a voice not from the living room. Reyn looked around, confused but the other vampires didn't seem surprised as Carlisle walked into the room in his white doctor's coat.

"When is Edward turning you…?"


End file.
